A Mother's Love
by Golden Immortality
Summary: *Written by: The Equestrian Writer* What if Sam's mother didn't die? What if she was being held hostage instead? Read and review. Sake.
1. The New Mare

**Chapter One**

The black filly let out a loud whinny and trotted to the end of the lead line. Samantha Forster tried her best to hang on to her, but the filly had gotten stronger. The two were having a nice walk to the river with Tempest behaving herself. That all changed when the horse and rider appeared over the River Bend Bridge. It was who was riding the big, black mare that Sam was so determined to not let the filly get the upper hand.

"No," Sam told the filly sharply, tugging the rope. Tempest looked at her as if she couldn't believe she had just done that. The filly snorted and reared up. Sam dug the heels of her boots into the dirt, struggling to hang on to the filly. Tempest gave one final pull, the rope slipped through Sam's hands, burning her flesh as it did so, and she fell backward onto the ground.

"That's what happens when you baby her, brat,"

Sam picked herself up and dusted off her jeans. She picked up her Stetson and placed it back on her head, all the time giving Jake the evil eye.

"You caught us at a bad time," Sam told him.

Jake just laughed.

"What are doing here?" Sam asked crossing her arms.

"Wanted to see the new horse," Jake answered.

Sam had forgotten that they were expecting a new horse soon. Since, Dark Sunshine had ran off with the Phantom's band, they were one HARP horse short. The program that matches at-risk girls with horses. Brynna had found the mare on the internet at a rescue farm. She had been abandoned and suffered from malnutrition. They were expecting her soon.

A sudden squeal made them both turn around, just in time to see Tempest canter away from Witch towards the ten acre pasture, where Ace, Popcorn, and Penny were standing to see what all the commotion from before was. Sam just started to go get Tempest when the River Bend truck and trailer came over the bridge. She stopped, the filly forgotten for now.

Sam bounced on her heels as she waited for the truck to stop. When it finally did, she hurried over to the trailer with Jake close behind. Dad got out of the pickup, nodding to Jake, and looked up as the ranch house door opened and Gram, Brynna, holding Cody, came out.

"Would have been hear sooner, but the mare wouldn't load up, ended up having to use a tranquilizer" Dad explained, then he looked up toward the house. "Samantha, what's that filly of yours doing?"

Everyone turned toward the house and saw what he was talking about. Tempest had wandered toward the garden and was just about to take a bite out a tomato. Before anyone could say anything else, Sam hurried over to the filly and grabbed the trailing lead rope. Luckily, Tempest didn't put up a fight. Sam quickly put the filly in her stall.

Suddenly, a loud squeal and a kick came from the trailer, as Sam came back. Without saying a word, Dad and Jake moving to the back of the trailer and unbolted the ramp. Dad disappeared inside and then a dapple grey mare backed down the ramp. Sam sucked in a breath at the mare's beauty, but then her heart went out to her for the mare was skin and bones! Everybody saw it too, because it grew quiet. Until dad broke the silence.

"Her name's St...Sterling," he practically choked saying the name and Sam was sure she saw Jake grimace. Sam rolled her eyes, both thought that was no name for a ranch horse.

"Well, I like it," Sam said. Gram and Brynna agreed with her, even Cody gave his two sense. Sam, then, took a step towards the mare.

Sterling's head shot up, her ears pricked, her nostrils flaring. The tranquilizer was just starting to wear off. Sam wanted nothing more than to pat the mare's neck and tell her everything was going to be okay, but Sam couldn't help but notice that the mare hadn't taken her eyes off of her since she came off the trailer. Instead, Sam held a hand out to the mare. Sterling flared her nostrils even, but didn't move away.

"Jake, take the mare to the round pen," Dad told Jake, holding out of the lead. When Jake stepped forward, the dapple grey mare exploded. She shot backward, her back legs hitting the ramp, sending her into more of a panic. Jake quickly retreated and the mare soon settled down.

"Dad, can I take her to the pen?" Sam asked, her eyes still on the mare.

"Samantha Ann, what do you take me for?" Dad asked, it was rhetorical, as he led the mare to the pen himself.

Sam didn't answer.

Cody started fussing, so Brynna went back into the house to put the little boy down for his nap and Gram followed her saying about starting dinner. Sam and Jake followed Dad and the mare to the pen. Jake opened the gate and the mare was release inside. Sterling gave a spirited buck and galloped toward the other side of the pen, away from them.

"You two have a lot on your hands," Dad said.

"Wait, Us?" Sam asked. "As in, _Me _and Jake?"

Dad nodded, "You're old enough, just be careful, okay honey?"

"I will," Sam smiled, excitement bubbling inside of her. She was actually going to work with the mare. Dad nodded again, and headed off to the ten acre pasture to saddle of Jeep, because there was still so much work to be done on the range. As soon as he was out of range, Sam turned to Jake.

"What do you think?" Sam asked excitedly.

Jake didn't say anything, instead he walked off toward the barn. Sam followed him, wanting to know what he thought of the mare. Jake grabbed two flakes of hay and headed back out to the round pen. He threw the hay inside and turned around, almost colliding with her.

"What?" Jake asked, a hint of annoyance in his voice.

"What do you think?" Sam repeated her earlier question.

Jake shrugged, "Seems pretty wild,"

"But all she needs is someone to trust," Sam contradicted.

Jake shrugged.

Biting her tongue, Sam climbed up the fence to watch Sterling munch on the hay Jake had given her. Sam didn't know if it was that he really didn't know what to do with the mare or if it had something to do with the change in their relationship. Ever since, the New Years barbeque when Jake had taken her hand, they weren't sure what that made them. It didn't help that Jake hadn't said anything about it. Sam sighed, it was May, so if anything was going to happen then it would have happened by now. She'd just have to face it.

Her and Jake just weren't meant to be.


	2. Not Just A Hallucination

**Chapter Two**

At five o'clock the next morning, Sam awoke with a start. She had just been dreaming about the Phantom, but it wasn't like the usual dreams she had of him. Instead, it seemed like he was trying to tell her something. Sam lay back down, pulling the blanket up to her chin and tried to catch a little more sleep before she had to get up. But she couldn't.

Sam threw the covers off and got up. She quietly pulled on a pair of jeans, a t-shirt, and a sweatshirt, since the mornings were always chilly. Carrying her boots so they would make any noise, Sam tiptoed down the stairs and out the front door, making sure the door did slam shut. She sat down on the porch steps to pull on her boots. As she was tying up the laces, a wet tongue came across her face. She looked up and there was Blaze, the ranch border collie.

She pushed the dog away and then froze. Her heart started beating fast. Someone must have heard something and let him out. But she didn't remember seeing him in the house when she had crept by. He must have been in the bunkhouse and just started whining to go out. Sam looked towards the bunkhouse. No one was there. She sighed in relief, usually whenever Blaze starts whining, everybody just lets him out without a second thought. But that also meant someone else was up and she needed to hurry up before she got caught.

Sam hurried to the ten-acre pasture and saw Ace waiting for her at the gate. When he saw, the gelding pricked his ears and let out a whinny. Sam froze again. She waited a few seconds and when no one came storming out of the house, Sam brought Ace from the pasture to the barn. She quickly groomed and tacked him up. She led Ace outside and mounted up. Instead of heading over the bridge like always did, Sam turned Ace toward the back of the ranch toward Aspen Creek. That was where the Phantom had been in her dream.

As soon as they had left the ranch, Sam let Ace gallop. Not sure of what she was going to find there, Sam led him run his heart out. After awhile, she started to hear another set of hoofbeats. Sam turned her head and there he was. Shimmering in the morning light, he was everything a mustang stallion should be. Strong, courageous, fierce, and most of all he was hers.

The Phantom moved up beside her and Ace and together they galloped across the range, short bay legs stretching to keep up with long silver ones. The stallion was so close that all Sam could do was reach out a hand and she'll touch him. But she didn't want to scare him and shatter the moment. Sam sighed, it had been a long time since she had sat astride that strong, silvery back and gallop towards his secret valley.

Suddenly, the Phantom dropped down to a trot and Ace did the same. Sam looked around and saw a small house in the distance. A very familiar house. A house she had visited last May. Caleb Sawyer's house. Sam looked toward the Phantom, who had come to a stop as did Ace. _Why did you bring me here? _As if he heard her, the stallion snorted and looked in the direction of the house. Sam looked too.

At first, Sam didn't see anything out of the usual and then, like magic, a figure appeared kneeling the ground working, maybe in a garden. Sam gulped, thinking it was Caleb, but looking closer Sam saw that it was a woman. She shook her head and looked again. It couldn't be a woman. If Caleb got married or even had a girlfriend, everybody in this small town would know and Sam certainly hadn't heard a thing. But he was this woman working in his garden.

Growing curious, Sam urged Ace forward. The gelding snorted, reluctant to leave his former leader behind. Sam looked back to the Phantom. The stallion was still standing there, not making an effort to move and Sam knew he couldn't go on with her.

"Zanzibar," Sam whispered.

The stallion snorted and tossed his head. He turned on his haunches and galloped off. As fast as he had come, he was gone. Back to his herd in their secret valley. Sam turned back to Ace, who was staring after the Phantom didn't make a move to follow for he knew he didn't belong in the wild anymore. His place was at River Bend. Sam patted his neck and urged him on again. This time Ace walked on.

They were almost there when the woman looked up at the sound of hoofbeats. Sam's heart thumped in her chest when the woman stood up. She could have sworn that the woman was her...

_No, your mother's dead. It's somebody completely different. _Sam scolded herself, but as she looked at the woman all sense she had was gone. And then the woman spoke.

"Who are you?" the woman said stepping closer to them. Then she stopped and then it seemed like tears came to her eyes as she said, "Sammy?"

Tears came to Sam's eyes also as she dismounted off of Ace and reached to take her hat off, but then realized she had left it back at the ranch. "Mom?" was all that she managed to get out. The two walked towards each other until they were only a few feet apart. They looked at each other for a second and then Sam threw her arms around her.

"Mom," Sam cried. The two held on to each other as if the other would disappear at any second. When they broke apart, they wiped their eyes free from tears.

"What are you doing here?" Louise asked her.

"What am I doing here? What you doing here?" Sam questioned. "We all thought you...died in the accident."

"It's a long story, but Caleb pulled me out before the water got too high," Louise explained.

That explained everything. Caleb had been in love with her mother ever since she came here. When her car crashed into the lake, Caleb had been there, pulled her out, but made it look like she had died. He had hid her mother from everybody who cared about her and told them that she was dead. The look on Sam's face told Louise that her daughter had figured it out. Louise nodded in confirmation.

"Honey, you're all grown up," Louise said, changing the subject, looking her daughter up and down. "Caleb, told me you had an accident a few years ago, are you okay?"

Sam nodded, "Yeah, dad sent me to San Francisco to be close to a hospital."

At the thought of her father, Sam debated if should tell her mother that her father had gotten remarried. But was he really married to Brynna with her mother alive? Sam didn't know. As if reading her mind, Louise asked,

"How is your father? How is this Breana treating him?"

"Brynna, and they're happy. They have a baby boy, Cody, he's one," Sam told her.

Louise nodded, a sad look had crossed her face.

Suddenly, the front door to the house banged opened and a voice bellowed out. "Get the hell off my property, Forster!" At the same time, thundering hooves came to a sliding stop behind Sam. Louise looked back at Caleb and Sam looked behind. He sat on the big black mare, his jaw clenched, staring at Caleb.

In three strides, Caleb was off the porch and standing behind her mother. Jake had gotten off of Witch and stood behind Sam. Sam was relieved that Jake was here, although she had no idea how he knew she was here.

"I thought I told last time to keep off my property," Caleb said menacingly.

"You didn't tell me you had my mother here," Sam replied. "But she won't be here much longer."

Caleb pointed the handgun he was carrying at her. "You tell anyone that have her, and there will be two dead bodies found," he threatened and then turned the gun to Jake, who had stepped in front of Sam, hands balled into fists. "Three, if you don't back your boyfriend off,"

Nobody moved.

"That's more like it," Caleb said.

With that, he grabbed Louise and started pulling her to the house. Sam couldn't take it anymore and started to run after them.

"No!" she called and that was when a gunshot went off. Jake took the chance to grab a hold of her.

"Next one, won't miss," Caleb threatened again and continued pulling Louise to the house. By now, tears were pouring down Sam's face as she struggled to break free from Jake's hold on her.

"Mom, no," Sam cried.

"Jake, take care of her," Louise called to him as she was pulled inside the house.

Sam broke down in sobs and slid to the ground. Jake went with her, letting her cry into his shirt. Normally, he couldn't stand it when she cried, but now he didn't know, something inside of him snapped when he saw how much Sam was hurting. Jake looked up at the house and vowed to make this all right.

But how?


	3. It's Not Fair!

**A/N: **I made a mistake in the last chapter. I said that Cody was one, scratch, he'll be about four months I think. Sorry about that.

**Chapter Three**

Sam didn't know how long she had been crying for, but she suddenly became aware of the fact that she was crying into Jake's shirt and the sun had started beating down on her back. Sam straightened and wiped the tears from her eyes.

"I'm sorry," Sam said, trying to regain her composure.

"It's okay," Jake replied, rubbing her back.

"No, no it's not," Sam said getting up. "She's been gone for years, I shouldn't be upset, I shouldn't be..." her hands balled into fists as anger started to fuel through her. Jake quickly stood up, seeing that look in Sam's eyes.

"Sam, no," he told her.

"I can't let him get away with this," Sam stated starting toward the house, but Jake stepped in front of her and grabbed her arms.

"Going in there by yourself won't help the situation," Jake argued. "In fact, it's agood way to get yourself killed."

"Jake, please, she's my mother," Sam pleaded, on the verge of tears again. "I have to do something."

"I know," Jake said, in his calming voice. "But this is not the way to do it."

Sam knew he was right, but she was desperate, she wasn't thinking clearly. She had just found out that her mother was alive to have her taken away again. It wasn't fair. Something had to be done.

"Sam, Sam!" Jake snapped out of her thoughts. "Get that look off your face, and let's go." Jake dragged her back to the horses.Sam didn't fight him, she knew that she was no match for Caleb, with or without a gun. Jake held Ace's head while Sam mounted up and then he mounted Witch.

"I don't want to go back just yet," Sam said suddenly.

Jake just nodded.

She had already missed the bus and it would take them an hour or so to get home and then head to school. Plus, Sam wasn't quite ready to face anyone yet. Instead, they turned their horses away from the ranches.They rode in silence for awhile until Sam just had to ask.

"How did you know where I was?"

Jake shrugged, paused for a minute and then answered, "Just a feeling,"

Sam didn't push him in detail and turned back to Ace. She twirled her finger around a strand of black mane. Finally, she was able to say, "I'm glad you did," Out of the corner of her eye, Sam saw Jake look over at her. She couldn't see his eyes from under the brim of his Stetson, but Sam could have though she the beginnings of smile on his face. When he turned back to the front, however, it disappeared.

Suddenly, Ace pricked his ears and he broke into a trot. Sam pulled back on the reins, bringing the gelding to a halt and looked to where he was looking. A herd of mustangs were grazing up ahead. Two blood bay mares stood out from the herd and Sam's heart thumped in her chest. She searched desperately for the silver stallion. Witch's loud whinny made Sam turn to the left.

There he was.

The Phantom stood watching them. He didn't make a move toward them and Sam knew it was because Jake was here. Ace shivered in excitement, wanting to go to his old herd leader, but Sam held him back. Sam wanted nothing more than to go to him, hop on his back and ride off to his secret valley. But she couldn't. Not with Jake here.

_Zanzibar._

The Phantom pricked his ears, as if he heard her.

_Thank you._

The stallion nickered and tossed his mane. He pawed the ground and snorted. It was like he was trying to tell her something and Sam knew what it was. Then the Phantom turned on his haunches and galloped toward his herd. A buckskin mare, who Sam recognized as Dark Sunshine, led the herd away toward the secret valley. Sam watched them, until they had disappeared.

"That was weird," Jake said, his voice was just above a whisper.

"Yeah," Sam replied, a determined expression was on her face as she looked at Jake. "But I know what I have to do."


	4. An Almost Kiss

**Chapter Four**

When Sam and Jake entered River Bend, the ranch yard was empty and Sam was relieved. At least, she would have a little while before she was in trouble. They dismounted and Sam took Ace's tack off and set him free in the ten acre pasture, while Jake just slipped Witch's bit out and loosened the cinch, leaving her tied at the hitching post. Both turned, startled, when the ranch house door slammed open.

"Samantha Ann Forster!" Gram called from the porch. "Where have you been?"

Sam gulped and looked at Jake, who was busying himself with fixing something on his saddle. Taking a deep breath, Sam turned back to the house and started walking toward her grandmother. With each step she took, it seemed like the distance between her and the porch was growing longer. It felt like she was walking to her death.

When she was within earshot, Sam spoke, "I just had to go out for a ride...I needed to check on something,"

"What could be so important that you just had to miss school for, Samantha?" Gram asked her crossing her arms.

Sam didn't know what to say, what could she say. Caleb had made it very clear that she couldn't tell anyone about her mother. If she did, he would kill her mother before anyone had a chance to see if she really had survived.

"When your father gets home, we are going to have a very long talk," Gram told her, then it seemed like she just saw Jake behind her and said, "Thank you for watching out for her Jake,"

Jake tipped his Stetson to her and replied, "No problem, ma'am,"

Gram went back into the house and Sam turned around and headed back to where Jake stood.

"Well, at least I have a few hours of freedom," Sam said.

Jake didn't say anything, instead he turned and walked toward the round pen. From where she was, Sam could see that Sterling was peering through the fence slats at them. Jake must have noticed it too and wanted to build on that. The mare saw them coming and ran toward the other side of the pen. Slowly, but surely, Jake opened the gate, keeping his eyes away from the mare. Sam wasn't sure if should follow until Jake looked up at her. Taking that as a sign to follow, Sam walked into the pen. After closing the gate, Jake sat down in the dirt, opposite the mare. Sam did the same.

Sterling flared her nostrils, her ears pinned back. She didn't like these humans in her pen and she was making that very clear. The mare kicked out her hindquarters two times and broke into a trot down her side of the fence and back again, never getting to close to them. After about three minutes, Sterling stopped and stared off into the distance. Sam wanted to turn and see what the mare was looking at, but she knew if she did, it would startle the mare, so she stayed put. Sterling's ears were pricked, but after another minute they relaxed. She lowered her head to the ground, eyes watching them.

Sam risked a glance at Jake to see his reaction. His face was blocked by his Stetson and he hadn't moved she they had sat down. She didn't know about him, but excitement was welling up inside of her. But she didn't dare let a squeal or a whisper out, at this point anything could set the mare off.

Tentatively, the grey mare took a step forward. Blowing through her lips, she took another step. Then, she stopped and stared. Rewarding her bravery, Jake slowly got up and headed over to the gate. Although, she didn't want to leave the mare, Sam followed him. When they had shut the gate, Sam peeked through the slats. Sterling was still staring after them, her ears pricked, her eyes curious. Smiling, Sam ran after Jake.

"Did you see her when we left?" Sam asked excitedly. "It looked like she didn't want us to leave."

Jake only nodded and kept walking.

"What's wrong?" Sam asked him.

"Nothin," Jake answered as he bridled Witch and tightened the cinch. Witch pinned her ears as he did so and lashed out at the closest person, which happened to be Sam. Luckily, Sam jumped out of the way before she got bit.

"You're leaving," Sam said, surprisingly.

Jake nodded, as he mounted up, "I should check in with my parents before they worry too much,"

Sam nodded, understandingly. There was silence, neither knowing what to say. After a while, Jake said a quick good-bye and reined Witch toward the bridge. Sam watched him go, wishing she had something. She hated this change in their relationship.

Later that evening after dinner, Sam sat on the couch, hands clasped together on her lap as she watched her father pace the living room floor. Gram sat in the armchair, a book on her lap, but watching her son. Brynna sat on the other end of the couch, feeding Cody his evening bottle.

"What possible reason could you have for missing school?" Wyatt asked his daughter.

Sam opened her mouth and then closed it again. She really didn't know what to say. If she told the truth, then her mother's life would be in danger, but maybe they could get there in time before Caleb killed her. Sam didn't want to take the risk, so she stayed quiet.

"Nothing to say?" Wyatt questioned her.

Sam looked down. "I..just...I just had to check something," she whispered.

"Tell me it didn't have anything to do with that stallion," Wyatt asked.

"A little," Sam answered.

"Samantha, you are grounded until further notice," Wyatt told her. "Go to your room."

Sam didn't fight him, instead she did as she was told and went to her bedroom. She closed the door and flung herself down on the bed, tears overflowing her eyes. Sam didn't know what to do, she was only sixteen years old. Sam sat up and wiped the tears from her eyes. She looked out the window. It was just starting to get dark out.

"Mom, what do I do?" she whispered.

Later that nigh, midnight to be exact, Sam awoke again from another weird dream. Like the other one, Sam felt pulled outside, to the river. She pulled back the covers, it couldn't be the Phantom, she had seen him two times yesterday and that was rare, but she got up anyway, carefully so the mattress didn't creak. She crept over to the door and peeked out.

Everything looked clear, so she took a step forward. All of a sudden, a loud meow came nearly giving Sam a heart attack. Sam looked down in time to see her cat, Cougar, dash down the hallway. She held her breath, waiting to see if the noise had woken anyone up.

When nobody came, Sam continued downstairs. However, she froze again when she saw the kitchen light. _Maybe someone just left the light on, _Sam reasoned. Feeling slightly more braver, Sam walked into the kitchen. Of coarse, Sam's thoughts were wrong. There was someone in the kitchen. Brynna. She sat at the kitchen table, paperwork spread out before her and a plate of cherry pie left uneaten beside her, she looked up when Sam came in. Sam turned back around to head back upstairs.

"He's waiting for you," Sam stopped when Brynna spoke. She turned back around and stared at her stepmother, but she was looking back down at her work. Sam took the chance and dashed out of the house.

Once outside, Sam looked around the dark yard. She could just make out the outlines of the horses in the ten acre pasture. They were all staring alertly toward the La Charla river. That was when Sam heard the snort. Curious as ever to found out why he had came again, Sam went to meet him.

He stood proud and majestic at the river's edge. His ears were prick to catch the slightest sound. He looked every bit a phantom. The stallion nickered when he saw her and Sam walked faster. She stopped at the water edge and rolled up her sweat pants and looked up when she heard splashing. The Phantom had moved to the center of the river. Sam met him there.

"Zanzibar," she murmured.

The Phantom snorted softly and lowered his muzzle to fit within her hands. Sam smiled and rubbed it. A great sigh erupted from his body as his head lowered more. They stayed like that for a few more minutes, each content being in the other's presence. Then a loud whinny came from somewhere on the range.

All at once, the mighty stallion was a wild mustang once again. He gave a small rear, water droplets drenching Sam as he landed. With one last glance at her, the Phantom wheeled around and galloped toward his herd. Sam watched him go, wishing that she could be going with him. Because it seemed like he was trying to tell her that she wouldn't see him for awhile.


	5. Recuiting Help

**Chapter Five**

The next morning, Brynna drove Sam to the bus stop, on her way to Willow Springs. The air in the car was tense after what happened last night. Sam wanted to get out of the car, not just to escape the intensity of the situation, but she had come up with a plan to break her mother out and she was anxious to tell someone. Finally, the truck came to a stop at the bus stop. Sam put a hand on the door, but before she could open it, Brynna stopped her.

"Sam, is something wrong?" she asked.

A dozen responses raced through Sam's head, but she only said, "No, everything's fine." and quickly got out of the car, leaving her stepmother looking doubtful.

Jen was already there waiting for her, arms crossed. She was dressed in her usual style, bright red jeans, a maroon shirt with cherries all over it and her two braids. She waited until Sam was within earshot and then started.

"Where were you yesterday?" Jen asked. "I tried calling after school, but your gram said you were grounded...What did you do?"

"Okay, before you lecture me, it was for a very good reason," Sam assured her.

Jen gave her a look.

"Really," Sam convinced. "Early yesterday morning, I had this weird dream about the Phantom..."

"Sam!!!" Jen interrupted, but stopped when Sam glared at her. "I'm sorry, go ahead."

"Thank you," Sam said. "It wasn't like others I had of him, he seemed to be telling me something. So, naturally, I had to go out and see what it meant."

"Naturally," Jen commented.

"Jen!" Sam glared again.

"Last time, go ahead," Jen told her.

"Well, I rode out to Aspen Creek, I had no idea why, that's just where he was in my dream. I was nearing Caleb Sawyer's property," Jen sucked in a breath. "and that's when I saw her. My mother. She was working in the garden."

"Sam, Sam, stop," Jen stopped her.

"What?" Sam asked.

"Do you know how ridiculous you sound," Jen told her.

"What do you mean?" Sam asked again, she was confused now.

"What do I mean? Sam, you just said you saw your mother," Jen explained. "She's dead, she's been dead for years. You only think you saw her, because Mother's Day is approaching."

"No, she's not," Sam contradicted. "She's alive and well. Caleb's been hiding her, he wanted my family to think she was dead, so he could have her for himself. But she's alive, trust me...Ask Jake, he saw her too."

"Wait, Jake was there?" Jen asked shocked. "How did he know?"

"That's not important," Sam told her. "What's important is that my mother is being held hostage by a madman and I know just the way to set her free and bring her home."

"I don't like the sound of that," Jen said.

Sam just smiled.

---

When they had arrived at school, Sam had told Jen all about her plan to bring her mother home. While she didn't agree with it, Jen did agree to help her friend out. However there was someone else that would not agree with it, under any circumstances, and Jen insisted on pointing that out.

"Good luck on convincing Jake," Jen called to her as they headed in separate directions toward their first classes.

Sam's first class was history with Mrs. Ely, Jake's mom. She had just slid in her seat when the bell rang. Throughout the class, Sam could hardly concentrate on the current topic, she was too excited about this Saturday. But she also saw Mrs. Ely giving her looks during class and Sam knew it must have something to do with her and her son ditching school yesterday. When the class ended, Sam hurried out of the room before Mrs. Ely had a chance to hold her after.

In her haste, Sam bumped into something or rather someone. They grabbed her arm to keep her from falling and when she looked up, their eyes locked. The world seemed to shrink down to just the two of them. Nobody else existed. Sam didn't know how long they stood like that until the bell broke their trance. Each went their separate ways to their classes, with one last glance at each other.

"No, no, absolutely not," Jake said later that day Sam finished telling him her plan for Saturday. They were about to start working with Sterling and Sam decided to tell Jake before they got started because if she didn't she wouldn't be able to concentrate on the mare.

"Why not?" Sam asked him. "It's a perfectly safe plan."

"Safe?" Jake repeated. "Sam, think about it. The man has a gun. He will not hesitate to shoot you, if you over there again."

"So, you're not going to help me?" Sam walked over to the barn corral and scratched Tempest's nose. "That's okay, I'm sure Jen and I can handle it. I mean we have been through a lot together. Trouble's really nothing to us."

Jake sighed loudly.

Sam smiled to herself. It was working. She could tell that he was having trouble with the decision, by the way he kept scuffing his boot on the ground. Finally, he spoke.

"Fine, I'll go,"

Sam spun around and squealed, "Yay!" Jake took a step back, seeing that she was about to hug him and Sam took the hint, but that didn't hinder her excitement. This Saturday, she, Jake, and Jen were going to get her mother back.

After they had finished working with Sterling, Jake mounted up on Witch, needing to get home. Sam watched him off and then headed into the house, seeing as there was nothing else to do. She had finished her chores before Jake had arrived. Gram was busy with dinner in the kitchen when she entered.

"Dinner will be ready in an hour," she told Sam.

Sam nodded, acknowledging that she heard and continued up to her room. Sam was looking down, so she didn't see Brynna in the hallway and almost collided with her and Cody.

"Oh, sorry," Sam apologized.

"It's okay, Sam," "Brynna smiled. "You look preoccupied, you want to share what's on your mind?"

"No!" Sam quickly answered and ran into her room, closing the door before she could be questioned further. Sam sat down on her bed and sighed. She had no idea how she was going to make it all the way to Saturday without spilling the secret to somebody.

Deciding she needed to get her mind on something else, Sam pulled her backpack up next to her and pulled out her books. She immediately put math aside for later, she didn't feel like getting a headache over numbers right now. Instead, she pulled out english assignment and started working on that, while lying on her stomach, until dinner was ready.


	6. Rescue!

**Chapter Six**

Saturday morning, Sam awoke well before five thirty. She lay in her bed trying to calm her jumping stomach. But it wasn't working. It had taken a long time to convince her father that she could go out early this morning. Of course, she didn't tell him the truth. Jen had decided that they would tell their parents that she needed a sample of water from Aspen Creek early in the morning and that it would go faster if she had someone there to help her. They didn't tell them that Jake would be going too. That would just be too suspicious.

Sam sighed, there was no way she was going back to sleep now. She threw back the covers and got up. She pulled on an old pair of jeans, t-shirt, her boots and pulled her hair back into a ponytail and hurried downstairs.

"You're up early for collecting water,"

Sam froze at the door and turned slowly around. Her father was leaning against the window, watching her.

"I couldn't sleep," Sam said.

Wyatt nodded, but didn't say anything else. Sam turned back towards the door, expecting him to stop her. He didn't. Sam opened the door and started through it when he spoke up.

"Just be careful, Sam," Wyatt told her. "Your mother died trying to save those animals."

Sam gulped, did he figure it out? He couldn't have, Sam reasoned. "I will, dad," she assured him. With that, she left the house and walked out to the yard. Ace gave a loud whinny when he saw Sam and galloped towards the fence. Sam picked up the lead lying by the fence and hooked it to the gelding's halter. When she led Ace through the gate, Sam looked back into the pasture, debating if she should bring another horse for her mother. _No, that would definitely raise questions from Dad, _Sam told herself.

She led Ace into the barn and groomed the gelding thoroughly and picked out his feet. She tacked him up and led him back outside. Ace snorted and pranced excitedly at the end of the reins.

"I'm sorry, boy," Sam said to the gelding. "We're not going to see him today, we got something important to take care of."

Sam mounted swiftly and turned Ace toward Aspen Creek. They picked up a nice slow jog, but soon they were galloping across the range. She had only been riding for about ten minutes when she saw a black horse and rider loping towards them. Sam slowed Ace down to a nice gentle lope and then halted as she waited for Jake to approach.

The look on Jake's face, when he pulled up Witch next to Ace, told her that he thought they shouldn't be doing this. But Sam knew that there was no time to come up with another plan.

"I'm going to do this, with or without you," she told him.

Jake gave a long, suffering sigh as they turned their horses into a jog towards Caleb's house.

-

Jen was already there waiting for them when Sam and Jake arrived. Silly whinnied at the sight of other horses and Sam tensed up and accidently yanked on Ace's mouth. The gelding stopped abruptly, snorting his frustration.

"I'm sorry, boy," Sam said to her gelding. "I guess I'm a little nervous."

"So, what's the plan?" Jen asked trying to hold on to Silly, who had suddenly became frightened of something.

"Well, my mom should be out in the garden and Caleb is out hunting, so I'm sure she'll come with me once I explain everything and I was going to let her ride Ace." Sam explained.

"Well, Ace can't carry double, so you can hop on with me and Silly," Jen said.

"Thanks," Sam replied. She dismounted and ground tied Ace. Out of the corner of her eye, Sam saw Jake doing the same to Witch. She didn't argue with him, in fact she was glad that he would be coming with her. It made her feel more confident in what they were about to do.

"I'll stay with the horses," Jen said as she and Jake started toward the ranch.

Just like Sam had said, her mother was tending to the garden. She didn't look up or seemed to have heard them approach. Sam walked ahead of Jake and knelt down beside her mother.

"Mom?" she whispered.

Louise whipped her head around, her eyes wide. "Sammy, what are doing here?" she asked in alarm.

"We've come to bring you home," Sam explained.

"I thought I told you not to come back here," Louise said getting up and pulling her daughter up too.

"I know, but I couldn't stay away," Sam replied. "Please don't be mad."

"I'm not mad, I'm just worried," Louise told her daughter. "Caleb will hurt you if he catches you here again."

"That's why we have to get you out of here now," Sam said, taking her mother's hand and started back to where Jake was waiting. She stopped when she felt her mom not following. "Mom, what's wrong?"

"Sam, no," Sam looked at her in shock. "If I leave, then Caleb will kill someone and I don't want it to be you. If I stay here, then at least I know you're safe."

"We can get Sheriff Ballard to arrest him, if he tries anything," Sam tried to convince her, on the verge of tears.

"Sammy, what about your father..." she was interrupted by a loud shot piercing the calm serenity of the morning.

"It's Caleb!" Jake shouted over to them. He started running back to the horses with Sam and her mother not far behind. Sam grabbed a hold of Ace and told her mother to ride him and as soon as she was in the saddle, Sam started toward Jen and Silly. But the pair was farther away and Silly was giving Jen a hard time, rolling her eyes and threatening to buck. Another rider would send her over the edge. Sam looked behind and saw that Caleb was closing in on them. She was sure they wouldn't make it, until a big, black mare came to a sliding stop in front of her. Jake kicked free of his stirrup and held a hand down to her. Without another thought, Sam grabbed his hand and pulled herself up behind him. She quickly wrapped her arms around Jake's waist as he kicked Witch into a gallop.

Sam didn't know how long they have been running for, but every time she looked behind her, Caleb was still there, closer each time. _Why won't he give up? _Sam thought to herself. Just then, Witch stumbled and Sam gripped Jake harder. But the mare quickly righted herself and regain her stride.

River Bend had just come into sight in the not to far off distance when another gun shot split the air. But it wasn't that that made Sam turn her head, no it was the sound of a loud whinny. As soon as she looked behind her, everything seemed to go in slow motion. The small bay mustang fell onto the soft alkali dirt. Her mother was pitched from the saddle also.

"Ace!"

**I'm really sorry for the incredibly long wait. It will not happen again. That is if anybody still likes this story. Please review if you do.**


	7. Ace and Louise

**Chapter Seven**

**Written by: The Equestrian Writer**

"Ace!"

As soon as the word left Sam's mouth, Witch came to an abrupt stop and Sam was jumping down from the mare. She ran over to her mother and fallen horse. Louise was just picking herself up from the ground when Sam got there.

"Mom, are you alright?" Sam asked.

Louise nodded, "But I think he was shot," she looked over at Ace and Sam did the same. Ace was still down, but he was thrashing, trying to stand up.

"Easy boy," Sam soothed, taking a step towards Ace and then another. "It's okay." The gelding's ears pricked at the sound of her voice and then all of a sudden, he launched himself to his feet. He stood shakily, his legs splayed out, a lather of sweat had gathered on his neck. But that wasn't what scared Sam, it was the long stream of blood running down her horse's back right leg.

"Ace's been shot!" Sam exclaimed, turning back to Jen and Jake. Jen instantly mounted Silly again, saying something about getting help, and kicked the mare into a gallop towards River Bend. Sam watched her go and then looked at Jake, by now her eyes were filling up with tears.

"Don't cry," Jake told her, taking a step forward. "Keep him calm…" He trailed off as he looked over at Ace. Sam did too. The gelding had his neck lowered, more sweat had lathered up on his neck and his eyes look glazed over.

"What's wrong with him?" Sam cried.

"He's going into shock," Jake said snapping into action. "Get that saddle off him," When Sam didn't move, Jake looked at her. "Now!"

That snapped her out of it. She hurried over to Ace's side and started fumbling with the cinch. When she finally got it undone, Sam pulled the saddle from the gelding's back and threw it to the ground. Ace wobbled, but didn't fall. Sam could tell the gelding was using all the strength he had not to fall.

"Where are they?" Sam cried. "What's taking so long?"

Jake put his hands on her shoulders, "Sam relax, they'll get here," his voice was calm. Their eyes locked for a moment and Sam's breath caught in her throat. Finally, Jake dropped his hands and turned away, muttering something.

A squeal of tires make Sam jump a little, but relief flooded her when her father and stepmother jumped out of the truck. "Dad!" Sam called. "Ace's been shot,"

"The vet's on the way," Wyatt said. Sam nodded, turning to look back at Ace. She laid a hand on the gelding's neck, but he barely flicked an ear in acknowledgement. Tears welled up in Sam's eyes.

"I don't believe we've met, I'm Brynna Forster," Sam heard her stepmother introduce herself to her mother, who she temporarily forget was there. She looked up just as her mother introduced herself and to see her father go pale.

"Louise,"

* * *

"Well, the bullet didn't hit anything major, but he did lose a lot of blood," Dr. Scott explained as he stepped out of the stall, taking his gloves off. "I've bandaged the wound up and gave him some antibiotics, but he will need to come to the clinic, so that I can get the bullet out." He bent down and put his stuff back into his bag and then straightened up. "I can come back later today with the trailer and get him, save you the trouble."

"Thanks, Glenn," Wyatt said as walked with the vet out of the barn, Brynna followed quickly after. Sam walked up to the stall door and rested her forearms on top. Ace stood at the back of the stall, head lowered. He looked better than before, but he was also sedated. Either way, Sam's stomach was still in knots. She felt her mother approach her from behind.

"I'm going to go say hi to Gram," Louise spoke quietly. Sam nodded, not trusting herself to speak. Louise squeezed her daughter's shoulder and then pulled her into a hug. "He's going to get through this." She pulled back to look into Sam's eyes. "He has you." Choking back on a sob, Sam hugged her mother one more time before letting her leave.

"I'm going to leave too," Jen said, after Louise left. "My parents will be wondering where I am,"

"Ok, thanks for everything, Jen," Sam smiled at her friend.

"Hey, that's what friends are for," Jen smiled back. She started walking to where Silly stood tied. Then, Jen turned back around and said, "Call if you need anything!"

"I will," Sam said. After Jen and Silly jogged out of sight of the barn, Sam turned back to Ace, his position unchanged. "It's all my fault,"

"No, it's not," came the gruff whisper. He had been so quiet, she'd forgotten he was here. She heard the sound of his boots on the concrete floor come closer until he stood just next to her.

"Yes, it is," Sam said, her voice low as she sniffed back tears. "I wanted to get my mother back so bad, I didn't even stop think of what could happen. If I hadn't been so insistent on going, Ace would be fine. I was selfish and stupid." The tears overcame her finally.

Jake shifted, obviously uncomfortable with her crying, but he wrapped his arms around her, bringing her close to him. Sam didn't object, though it was very not like Jake at all. "Sam, no. You are the most un-selfish person I know. You put others before your own life."

"How come you always know what to say to make me feel better?" Sam asked him, wiping her tears away so that she could look at him.

"I know you," Their eyes locked. "Ace will be fine as long as he has you." Sam didn't say anything, she couldn't. She suddenly became conscious that Jake's arms were still around her. Then, Jake lowered his face to hers until their mouths were only inches apart. Sam's heart was beating fast.

"Sam,…" Jake breathed.

"Sam!"

Sam and Jake jumped away from each other and stared toward the barn door. Wyatt Forster was standing there, looking at the two of them. "Come inside for a moment." he told his daughter, and turned and walked toward the house.

Sam looked at Jake, not knowing what to say after what just happened, or not happened. She didn't even know what it meant. Finally, she said, "See ya around," and rushed out of the barn.

* * *

Wyatt Forster sat in the large armchair in the ranch house living room, opposite Louise, who sat on the couch. An awkward silence hung between them, neither knowing what to say. Finally, Wyatt cleared his throat.

"You've been alive all this time," he paused. "Why didn't you try and contact us?"

"I wanted to…." Louise's voice was quiet. "Oh, gosh, I wanted to. But I knew if I did….. I was protecting all of you."

Wyatt stood up and rubbed the back of his neck, a sign that he was a little uncomfortable talking about this. "So, you let us think that you were dead? You let _Sam_ believe you were dead."

"Wyatt, please!" Louise pleading, wanting him to see how much she hated what happened. How much she wished she could go back and do it all differently. She stood up from the couch and walked up to him. "Caleb threatened to kill our daughter if I dared to contact any of you. As much as it hurt, I knew if I stayed away, Sam would be safe." A tear slipped down her cheek.

Wyatt didn't say anything, he couldn't. He couldn't stop staring at the woman he had lost years ago. The woman he loved. She was older now, but she wore her auburn hair in two braids with daisies in her hair just like before. She was still as beautiful now as she was then, maybe even more. Without thinking, Wyatt moved a piece of stray hair back behind her ear.

"Dad?"

Startled, Wyatt withdrew quickly and turned to look at his daughter, who was the miniature version of her mother. Louise wrapped Sam up in another hug.

"It's been so long," Louise whispered in Sam's ear. "I have to keep reminding myself this is all real." Sam returned her mother's hug, she too, still couldn't wrap her mind around the fact that this was real.

Wyatt cleared his throat, and the two broke apart, a smile on both their faces. Sam's father was still uncomfortable with public displays. "Sam, sit down," he told her. "We need to talk about what happened."

"I know what you're going to say," Sam said as she walked to the couch and sat down. "It was reckless, irresponsible, stupid-"

"Not to mention dangerous," Wyatt interrupted. "Sam, what on earth were you thinking? Going up against a potentially dangerous man and dragging Jake and Jen into it."

Sam looked down at her hands, he was right. She didn't think all of it through, instead she jumped in head first. "You're right, I just wanted-"

"I know what you just wanted, Sam," Wyatt ran a hand through his hair. "That's the problem." He sighed. "Sam, you're grounded for a week, no riding, and you'll have to do all your chores and any extra chores that I, Gram, or Dallas give you, understood?"

Sam nodded. She didn't try to protest the punishment, she expected it. But it still didn't make her feel like what she did was wrong. If she had a choice to do it over again, she would. Sam would not apologize for getting her mother back.

At that moment, Brynna came into the room. "Lunch is ready," she told them all. "I just put Cody down for his nap," Wyatt was the first to move, he put his arm around Brynna as they walked into the kitchen. Sam couldn't help but notice the tinge of sadness in her mother's eyes as she watched the two leave.

* * *

After lunch, Sam and her father were readying Ace for when Dr. Scott came to collect him to take him to the clinic. Sam spent most of the time in the stall with the gelding while Wyatt gathered the stuff together.

"Don't worry, Dr. Scott will fix you up, so it doesn't hurt anymore," Sam told Ace, stroking his bay neck. Ace turned to look her, the spark in his eye ever present. Sam smiled and rubbed the star hidden under his black forelock. "You're a fighter, Ace. I know you'll come back to me."

Suddenly, Ace pricked his ears and turned toward the barn entrance. A moment later, Sam's father appeared at the stall door with Dr. Scott.

"He looks better than when I left him," Dr. Scott commented. It was true, although Ace was still sedated, he was more alert and he could rest his right hind leg firmly on the ground for a few seconds at a time. "Do you want to lead him out to the trailer?"

Sam nodded and clipped a lead line to Ace's halter. The mustang gelding followed her quietly, hobbling along. Sam stopped frequently, so Ace could rest and not get too stressed. Finally, they reached the trailer and with Dr. Scott's help, they were able to get the gelding onto the trailer. Sam gave a Ace one last hug before stepping out of the trailer.

"I'll call when I'm done with the surgery and you can come see him," Dr. Scott said, answering Sam's unspoken question.

"Thank you, Glenn," Wyatt replied, shaking the vet's hand. Sam stood silently next to her father, she didn't trust herself to speak. They watched Dr. Scott get into his battered jeep and drive away.

_Ace is going to be ok,_ Sam repeated to herself over and over again. She had to believe that he would be. If didn't come back to her, Sam shook her head. She wasn't going to go there. Ace was going make it through the surgery, and come home.

Both Sam and Wyatt turned when they heard the ranch house door open. Brynna stood on the porch. Her face was as white as a sheet and there were tears streaming down her face. She looked at them with shock, sadness, and fear. Wyatt hurried over to her, asking what was wrong.

"Cody's gone," came her reply.

**A/N:** I know, it's not fair to not give you an update in (how long has it been, never mind) and leave you with that kind of cliffy. But at least I gave you a little Sake moment in there. Now, I apologize for not update in a year? I'm sorry for that. Hopefully, I still have some readers. As always, please review.


	8. Where's Cody?

**Chapter Eight**

**By: TheEquestrianWriter**

"How could this happen?" Sam asked herself as she sat in Tempest's stall that night. She could see the flash of the police lights from where she sat, the police were still here. The black filly came over and put her face in Sam's direct line of sight. "Who would take a little boy from his bed?" Tempest's brown eyes bored into Sam's green ones until a name came to her lips.

"Caleb," Sam barely spoke his name, but in that instant everything clicked. Caleb had told her mother that someone would die if she escaped. But Cody? A baby who wasn't even a year old yet? Tempest snorted, breaking Sam out of her thoughts. Sam took the filly's muzzle in her hands and gave it a kiss. With that, Sam left the stall and hurried across the dark ranch yard to the house.

Sheriff Heck Ballard and two other officers were coming out of the house when she got there. "Did you find anything?" she asked the sheriff. Heck murmured something to the other two officers and they walked to the squad cars.

"We found this in Cody's crib," Sheriff Ballard held up a plastic bag with a pacifier inside. Cody's pacifier. It was splattered with blood. Sam gasped, tears filling her eyes. "If you remember anything, Sam,..."

"It was Caleb Sawyer," Sam blurted out. Heck stared at her. "He had my mother and he said that if she left, he would kill someone. And now he has Cody...I'm sure he does,"

Heck nodded, "I'll send someone out there to take a look," he put a hand on Sam's shoulder. "Take care, Sam," With that, the sheriff stepped off the porch and walked toward his police car. Sam didn't go inside until the police cars had drove over the bridge and were out of sight.

Finally, Sam pushed open the front door of the house. Her father and Brynna were nowhere to be seen, but Gram and her mother were sitting at the kitchen table. When she saw her daughter, Louise got up and hugged Sam. Sam clung to her mother and let the tears fall.

* * *

Sam woke up the next morning, groggy and not sure where she was. She quickly realized she was in her own bed, but it was who that was lying next to her that brought yesterday's events flooding back to her. Her mother. It was all true. She had gotten her mother back, but at the expense of her baby brother.

Being careful not to wake her mother, Sam got out of bed and padded downstairs. Dad sat at the kitchen table, a cup of coffee sitting in front of him. Silently, Sam sat across from him, unsure of what to say.

"Dad, I..." Sam started.

"Dr. Scott called last night," Wyatt cut her off. "Ace made it through the surgery and you can go see him if you want."

Sam was happy that Ace was going to be okay, but she just said. "Okay, maybe I'll Jake to take me?" She couldn't ask her father or Brynna to take her to see her horse after what happened. Wyatt nodded. "I'm going to go help Dallas with the morning chores," Sam stood up and pulled on her boots.

When Sam got outside, the horses were already fed and Pepper and Ross were both saddling their horses, Nike and Tank, to go check on the cattle. So, Sam collected the eggs and mucked out the stalls. Sam was dumping the wheelbarrow after finishing the last stall, when Jake came riding up on Witch. She went over to meet him. Witch pinned her ears when she approached, but didn't lash out, the mare must be starting to tolerate her.

"Any news?" Jake asked when he had dismounted from Witch and tethered her to the hitching post.

Sam shook her head. "But Dr. Scott called last night and said Ace made it through the surgery. I was hoping you would give me a ride up there?"

Jake nodded, "Sure," He looked like he wanted to say more, comfort her in some way. But he stayed silent. Sam turned and hurried to the house to let her dad know she was leaving and to get the keys for the truck.

As they made their way over the River Bend bridge, Sam looked out the passenger side window at the horses milling around the ten-acre pasture. Nobody said anything to fill the silence, but Sam didn't mind. Then, Sam felt Jake take her hand, lacing his fingers with hers. Sam turned to look at him, startled. Jake didn't look at her, instead kept his eyes on the road, but he did give her hand a squeeze. In that instant, Sam felt better. Jake's presence always had a way of soothing her, and no matter where their relationship went, she hoped that this would never change.

When Sam and Jake walked into the veterinary clinic, Dr. Scott was in the reception area, almost as if he knew they were coming.

"I expected you this morning," Dr. Scott greeted them. He didn't know about Cody, Sam was glad. She didn't want to have to explain anything, she just wanted to see her horse. "Ace came through the surgery as expected. He was calm coming out of anesthesia and there's been no complications." Dr. Scott had led them toward the back of the clinic, where the stable area was, he stopped in front of a stall.

Sam looked in the stall. Ace was standing at the back of the stall munching on some hay. The little mustang looked up when he heard people walk up. As soon as he saw Sam, Ace nickered and walked over to the stall door. When he turned, Sam could see the bandage on his upper right hind leg. Ace butted his head against Sam's chest and Sam rubbed the white star under his black forelock.

"You look so much better," Sam told Ace. "I've missed you so much."

* * *

A police cruiser was coming out of River Bend Ranch when Sam and Jake were coming back. Sam looked at Jake questioningly and urged him to go faster. Sam was out of the truck before it even came to a complete stop. She ran up the steps and yanked open the front door. Her entire family were sitting at the kitchen table and looked up at her when she came barging inside.

"Did the police find out anything?" Sam asked. Wyatt pushed back his chair with a loud squeak, stood up and strode over to his daughter. He held a sheet of paper in his hand.

"The police went over to Sawyer's place," Wyatt started. Sam's heart pounded in her chest, almost afraid of what her dad was about to say. "The house was empty, but they found this." He held out the piece of paper. Sam took it with shaking hands and began to read.

_Two 'wives'._

_Two children._

_You can't have them both._

_You must choose._

That was it. It wasn't signed, but Sam knew it was from Caleb. Her dad took the paper from Sam's hands before it could fall to the floor.

"What does it mean?" Sam asked in a barely audible voice.

Dad shrugged, "The police are doing everything they can,"

Sam nodded, "I'm going to go see the horses," She turned and almost ran into Jake, who was standing behind her. She didn't even hear him come in. Sam went outside to the ranch yard and leaned on the rails of the round pen, where Sterling attempted to grab some grass from under the rail. The mare instantly became alert when Sam approached, but relaxed after a minute and went back to snuffling the ground for bits of hay or grass.

Quiet footsteps told her Jake was coming up behind her. Without looking at him, Sam said, "Thanks for the ride, but I really just want to be alone right now."

Sam watched Sterling, trying to focus on how much more comfortable the mare seemed in her new surroundings, more trusting to humans. It was actually working on helping Sam keep her mind off the present, so much she forgot that she never heard Jake walk away. So, she jumped a little when she felt Jake's hand on her arm.

"Sam?"

Sam turned around and fell into Jake's arms as they encircled her body protectively. She didn't question why Jake was doing this, he usually wasn't one to go around giving out free hugs. Instead, Sam opened herself up to Jake and let herself relax against him. She reveled in the way she seemed to fit perfectly in Jake's arms and how his cheek rested against her hair.

It felt like hours had passed while they stood there wrapped in each other's arms. Until Sam pulled back and looked up into Jake's brown mustang eyes. They were as familiar as always, but there was something reflecting in them. Sam didn't know what it was, but something was keeping her locked on those eyes.

Finally, Sam cleared her throat and stepped out of Jake's arms. "I'm sorry, I know how that uncomfortable that makes you," Sam said.

Jake shrugged and his lazy, tomcat smile appeared on his face. "It wasn't that bad," he replied.

Sam smiled back, "You should get going,"

Jake nodded and looked over to where Witch was tethered. He looked back at Sam, holding out his hand to her, asking her to walk with him. Sam hesitated and then placed her small hand in his. Neither said anything as they walked over to Witch and as Jake prepared the mount the big, black mare. Jake looked as if he was about to say something, but decided against it at the last moment and mounted Witch. He tipped his hat in a goodbye and reined Witch toward the bridge.

Sam watched him leave, feeling suddenly cold without his warm body against hers. Deciding to spend some time with Tempest before going inside, Sam walked toward the barn. The black filly trotted inside from the barn corral when Sam entered, greeting her with a whinny. Sam rubbed the filly's forehead and looked over the filly's growing body.

She couldn't help but laugh at Tempest's condition. "Someone had a good roll today," Tempest snorted. "Let me got get a halter and I'll clean you up and make you beautiful." Tempest tossed her mane as if to say, _What am I not beautiful already? _Sam gave the filly a pat and headed toward the tack room for a halter.

That was when she noticed everything had gone unusually quiet, no birds chirping, no horses plodding around in the ten acre pasture. Sam tried to shaking off the rising paranoia and pulled open the tack room door. After that, everything happened too fast.

Something covered her face and she immediately became lightheaded. Her legs started to buckle underneath her, but someone caught her and picked her up. The last thing she remembered was being thrown over the back of horse before she blacked out completely.

**A/N: **I am sorry for another long wait. But I am getting back to writing all my stories and this one was at the top of the list. I hoped you liked it. Please review.


	9. Where am I?

**A/N: **Good news, besides the new chapter, I officially have an outline for the rest of the story, so I won't be stuck anymore. Yay! Okay, I'll stop talking now and you can just read the story.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own anything. All characters, places, etc., belong to Terri Farley.

**Chapter Nine**

**By: TheEquestrianWriter**

Sam came to to the jarring impact of her body being slammed into something hard. She could only see blackness, but her body was crammed into a small space, the smell of exhaust filling her nostrils and her hands were bound behind her back. The car lurched to a sudden stop and Sam hit the back of the trunk with a muffled cry. Just as fast the car sped off launching Sam across the small space until the opposite wall stopped her.

_Don't cry, _Sam told herself as she bit her lip to stop the tears that were filling her eyes. Blinking the tears back, Sam flipped onto her back, relieved that her legs were still free, and started kicking at the top of the trunk. She started screaming as well, hoping wherever she was, someone would hear her.

The car came to another sudden stop and this time it was followed by one of the doors opening and then it slammed shut. Sam pressed her lips together as she listened to the footsteps coming closer. They stopped right in front of the trunk and then the sound of a key sliding into the lock. Sam held her breath and shifted her position so that she could get a good view of her kidnapper.

But when the trunk opened, sunlight flooded in blinding Sam for a moment. All she could see was a large shadowy figure looming over her. They were broad-shouldered like a man and he reached down toward her. Sam shrank back, but she couldn't stop him from covering her face with a cloth. She struggled, kicked out with her legs, but he didn't waver.

Sam started to get light-headed and her eyelids drooped closed. But she fought to stay awake, though it was a losing battle. Her body became limp as the darkness crept over her.

X/X/X/X/X/X

When Sam awoke again, she was disoriented and her head felt weird. She lifted it gingerly to see her surroundings. She was lying on a bare mattress of a four-poster bed, her hands were unbound she realized. There was little light in the room, a bare, yellow light bulb on the ceiling. A wooden chest sat at the foot of the bed, the rest of the room was empty.

Easing off the bed, Sam walked to the only window in the room. It faced a deserted alley, trash littering the pavement. Sam tried to open the window, but it didn't budge. She jiggled it more, but still nothing happened. Sam banged on the glass with her hand, crying out. The reality of her situation was setting in.

Eventually, Sam turned toward the door. It looked like any normal door anybody would have in their house. But Sam felt fear slide down her spine as she thought of what could be on the other side of the door. She had to do something, though, she couldn't just do nothing.

Sam went to the door and tried the door knob. It was locked. She began tugging on it with all her might, hoping it would open, unrealistic she knew, but she was desperate.

"Let me out!" Sam yelled, knowing there was somebody who could hear her. "Please let me out!" She banged on the door a few times with her fist. Sam paused for a moment, listening. The sound of footsteps echoed from the hall.

"Help, please help me!" Sam called, hoping they were friend and not foe. She resumed her banging.

"Go check on the other one," came a gruff voice. Sam froze, knowing that voice. "I'll take care of this one." Another pair of footsteps echoed, but this time they moved away from the door.

Sam's heart beat fast when she heard a key slide into the lock. She didn't move though, she couldn't. Her breaths came in short gasps as there was a click of the door unlocking and then the door knob started to turn. Still Sam didn't move, even though her head was screaming at her to move.

Suddenly, the door was shoved open, knocking Sam to the floor. Caleb stalked into the room and almost looked surprised when he saw her on the floor.

"Going somewhere?" he smiled down at her and held a hand out as if offering to help her up. Sam didn't take it, instead she stood up on her own, glaring at him.

"That's not a pretty look," Caleb said closing the door. All hope of escape vanished. "What's the matter, princess?"

"You've made a big mistake when you kidnapped me," Sam replied. "The police are going to find you and when-"

"Your father is the one who made the mistake when he stole my wife from me," Caleb interrupted. "I'm sure he regrets that choice now that I have two things that are his."

"She wasn't your wife, she was my mother, and you took her away from me!" Sam exclaimed, anger fueling her words. "And I took her back. It was me, my father had nothing to do with this."

"Oh, well, thanks for clearing that up. I'll be sure to repay you for that later," Caleb told her. "Too bad it's too late to make it all right. Anyway, you are needed someplace else." He grabbed her arm and started to pull her toward the door, but Sam twisted out of his grip.

"I'm not going anywhere with you," Sam snapped.

"Then what will I tell your brother?" Caleb asked her. "He's been really upset, seeing you would have brighten his spirits. Oh, well, that's the way of half-siblings I suppose."

"Cody," Sam gasped. This time when Caleb grabbed her, she didn't struggle. She let Caleb pull her out of the room.

He led her down the hallway, a few doors down, a door was slightly ajar. Hysterical crying could be heard from inside the room. She bolted forward into the room.

The room was identical to hers. A crib, which was bare, was against the far wall and a rocking chair was in one corner. A man was leaning over the crib trying to console Cody, but making it worse instead. He spun around when Sam ran in.

"Good you're here," the man said to her. He came over to her and dropped a clean diaper and some wipes into her hands. "You're going to need these." He walked over to where Caleb stood in the doorway.

"You have ten minutes to get him quiet," Caleb told her. "Or else, our little visit will be cut tragically short." At that, the two men left the room. Sam flinched when the door slammed shut and the click as the door was locked.

Cody's cries had slowed to whimpers and Sam looked over at him, he was peering at her through the bars of the crib. "Hey, Cody," Sam said, trying to keep her voice calm, even though it was difficult. She walked up to the crib and reached down toward the baby.

Her baby brother was still in the same blue and white striped pajamas he was in before he was taken. "Do you want to get cleaned?" She undid the snaps on the pajamas and stripped off the soiled diaper. Cody started to quiet down as Sam cleaned him and put on a new diaper.

When Cody was all clean, Sam picked him up and carried him to the rocking chair. It was old, but looked relatively safe. Sam sat down and started rocking back and forth, letting Cody suck on her finger. There was a small cut above the baby's lip, but it looked like it was healing. She also didn't know when he had last eaten. He wasn't fussing anymore, so it must have been recent.

The rocking motion was putting Cody to sleep and it was starting to ease her fear, even though their situation hasn't changed. There was something soothing about rocking a baby to sleep. Sam leaned her head back against the chair and started to sing softly.

_Just close your eyes_

_The sun is going down_

_You'll be alright_

_No one can hurt you now_

_Come morning light_

Sam looked down and saw Cody's eyes closed and his breaths were slow and even. She stood up and went to put Cody in the crib. She covered him with the small, ripped blanket and then the door burst open. Caleb walked in, grabbed Sam and started to drag her out of the room. Sam didn't fight, she stared at her baby brother sleeping quietly in the crib. He deserved to be home with his parents, safe and happy, not here. Tears welled up in her eyes, blurring her brother's image. She was the reason he was here and Sam was going to make sure Cody got back home safe, no matter what the cost.

_You and I will be safe and sound_

**A/N: **So, what do you think? Like I said before, I have a complete outline for the rest of the story, but I will also be updating my other stories at the same, so I'm not sure how fast the next chapter will be up. Hopefully, the updates will become more regular. Please review and tell me what you thought. :)


	10. Police procedure sucks

**A/N: **I'm sorry for the long wait, but I had this chapter done for awhile, but I've been trying to write my other stories so I could post them all at the same time. I'm trying to work at a steady pace so that you can enjoy these chapters more regularly. Anyway, enjoy the chapter!

**Chapter Ten**

**Written By: TheEquestrianWriter**

Jake sat on the fence of the round pen at River Bend Ranch. The dapple-gray mare stood in the middle of the corral, watching him curiously. But Jake was barely focused on the mare, his thoughts were on Sam and the fact that she's been missing for two days. Jake couldn't help but think of the last time he saw Sam. That maybe if he had just stayed a few minutes longer, Sam would still be here.

Everybody had just assumed Sam had gone out for a ride. It wasn't until Wyatt and the other cowboys came back that they noticed all the horses were accounted for, but Sam wasn't. It was that night Jake was stuck in, reliving it every minute Sam was still missing.

"_C'mon Jake, I want to go in and eat!" Quinn said as Jake walked into the barn with two full water buckets. "You're moving slower than usual tonight." Quinn_ _tossed two flakes of hay in Chocolate Chip's stall as Jake delivered the two buckets._

"_Well, if I'm not going fast enough for you, just go on inside and I'll finish up," Jake told his brother, grabbing two more flakes of hay and tossing them to Witch._

"_Really? You sure?" Quinn asked._

"_Yes, go," Jake said again. Quinn didn't need anymore encouragement, he ran out of the barn to fill his empty stomach. Jake shook his head as he stroked Witch's mane as the mare chewed her hay. Less than a minute later, Quinn was back but with the rest of his brothers in tow._

"_Forget something?" Jake asked, coming out of Witch's stall and locking it behind him._

"_We have to get the horses saddled up," Nate answered him, striding past to get his own horse. "Sam's missing, we have to go look for her."_

_Jake froze. No, Sam couldn't be missing. He had just seen Sam, talked to her only a few hours ago. "What do you mean Sam's missing?" Jake questioned._

"_None of the River Bend horses are missing," Adam started as he saddled his horse. "So, the police are saying she either ran away on foot or someone abducted her."_

"_They want anybody they can get on the range looking for her before they rule it an abduction." Bryan added. His horse was all tacked and ready to go. Jake snapped into action; hurrying to the tack room to get his saddle, but his father stopped him._

"_Not you, Jake. The police want you at River Bend to answer a few questions, seeing as you were the last one to see Sam." Luke told his son. Jake turned and stared at his father as if he'd just spoken french. "You're mother's waiting in the car." Luke nodded outside. With a push from Quinn, Jake shuffled his feet forward and started walking to the car, where his mother sat in the drivers' seat waiting. He didn't want to talk to the police, he would rather be out looking for Sam._

Just thinking of the police interrogation session make Jake angry all over again. They kept asking him questions like: Did he know where Sam could have gone, and did she have any reason to runaway? Plus, they kept accusing him of covering something up. The police were treating this as a runaway case, instead of what it really was. A kidnapping, and Jake knew exactly who was responsible. Caleb Sawyer. It had to be. First, he took Cody and now he's taken Sam.

Sterling snorted, breaking Jake out of his thoughts. The mare was nibbling on some hay a few feet away from him. Normally, Jake would have been happy at this kind of progress from the mare, except there was no one here to share it with. Sam wouldn't have been able to contain her excitement. He almost missed her constant babbling in his ear.

Jake reached into his pocket and pulled out the bracelet that was inside. Sam's silver horsehair bracelet. The hairs were from her old horse, Blackie, now known as the Phantom. Sam never took this bracelet off, it was one of her many connections to the wild, majestic stallion. Jake closed his fist around the bracelet and closed his eyes, remembering exactly what happened that night.

_It was dark, late, and everybody had gone home, except for Jake. Jake was still at River Bend, trying to find any clues that may have been left behind. So far, he'd found nothing. He was about to go follow the track of a shod horse behind the barn, leading away from the ranch, but he decided to take one more sweep of the barn._

_His boots barely made a sound on the concrete floor as he stepped into the barn. Tempest moved quietly in the barn corral and pigeons rustled around in the rafters, but everything else was quiet. Walking slowly and carefully, Jake searched the ground, even the stalls for anything that may have been dropped or left behind. That was when he saw it. The moonlight glinted off of something that was partially hidden under the tack room door._

_Jake hurried over and snatched it up. It was a little dusty, but there was no denying what it was. Sam's silver horsehair bracelet. It must have fallen off her wrist when Caleb grabbed her. Jake smiled at the thought of the fight Sam must have given her kidnapper. But then his smile vanished when he remembered Sam hadn't gotten away, Caleb must have done something to her. Jake ran his finger over the silky hairs braided together and thought about how passionate Sam was when it came to the phantom. She would put her life in danger for that horse and she had on many occasions. Jake wished Sam would look at him the same way she looked at the phantom._

_Suddenly, the hair on the back of Jake's neck stood on end. He wasn't alone. He turned around slowly, checking every shadow and crevice a person could fit. There was nobody. Jake left the barn and checked the surrounding ranch yard. He didn't find anybody, but he did hear hoofbeats pacing up by the river. The horses in the ten-acre pasture had clustered close to the fence, staring in the river's direction. Sterling and Tempest whinnied from their enclosures, both sensing the new presence._

_Curious, Jake started walking to the La Charla river. The closer he got to the river, the more frantic the hoofbeats became. There was a snort and a whinny and then it came into view. At first, Jake thought he was a ghost; the way he moved was so graceful and fluid and the moonlight turned his coat silver, the light bounced off of him giving him some kind of a halo. Jake stopped short, taking in the majestic stallion._

_The phantom froze as well once he spotted Jake, his nostrils flaring and his ears pricked forward. Jake inched forward one step at a time, his eyes downcast telling the stallion he posed no threat. He'd gotten the edge of the unusually calm, still river when the phantom exploded. The stallion whinnied and reared up, striking the night sky with his hooves. When he landed, he wheeled around about to gallop off into the night._

"_She's not here," Jake found himself saying. The phantom stopped at the sound of his voice and craned his neck around to look at him. "Someone's taken her." Jake thought for a brief moment that he had gone insane, but here he was talking to a wild horse as if he could understand him._

_But maybe he could understand because the phantom turned around and started walking back to the river. The stallion hesitated at first, sniffing the water cautiously, then he splashed into the river. The phantom stopped when he reached the middle, he stared at Jake and then pawed the river three times, bobbing his head. Jake was shocked; the mustang was actually inviting him into the water. Going against his instincts, Jake put one boot in the water, then the other. The water was surprisingly warm as Jake walked farther into the river. He stopped when he was about two feet away from the mustang. The phantom snorted, standing still as the water rippled around them. The stallion was close enough to touch, but Jake didn't dare lift a hand._

"_I love her," Jake's voice sounded loud in the still, silent night. The silver stallion dipped his head low, his forelock falling into his dark brown eyes. "I will bring her back to us."_

That night seemed like a dream, but Jake knew it had happened. If anybody asked him about it, he'd deny it, but it felt like he and the phantom had forged a mutual respect for the other. Jake looked up to see that Sterling had moved farther down the fence, but not out of fear. The mare stood facing him as she dozed off, her left hind leg rested slightly off the ground and her ears flicked slowly back and forth. Sterling lifted her head slightly as she felt him staring at her, but then Sterling snapped her head around and stared toward the driveway.

Jake half-turned and saw the sheriff's car parking by the ranch house. Sheriff Ballard stepped out of the car, tipped his hat at Jake and walked to the house. Jake waited a moment after the sheriff went inside, his heart suddenly pounding in his chest. The police haven't been to the ranch since Sam disappeared. They must have found something.

Taking a deep breath, Jake slid off the fence and started walking to the house. He mentally prepared himself for whatever the police had to say. When he opened the front door, Jake heard voices talking in the kitchen. They stopped when Jake came in, Wyatt, Brynna, Grace, and Louise sat around the table. Jen and her mother, Lila Kenworthy, also were sitting down, Jake didn't even know they were here. Sheriff Ballard stood in front of the table.

"What's going on?" Jake asked, breaking the silence.

"Heck was just telling us about a possible lead they may have found," Wyatt explained. Jake looked at the sheriff hopefully.

"It's nothing big," Sheriff Ballard started to say. "We got an anonymous call about a baby crying from inside an abandoned building in Dalton."

"That has to be Cody," Brynna said tucking her hair behind her ears. Her red hair hung loose instead of in her traditional braid. "What other explanation can there be?"

"I've sent two officers down to check it out," Heck replied. "We won't know anything until then."

"So, we're just supposed to sit on our hands and wait?" Jake questioned, unable to keep quiet any longer.

"I'm afraid that's all we can do at this moment," Heck told them.

After a few minutes, Heck's radio started crackling and a voice could be heard. The sheriff answered it and turned away from everyone as he spoke to the other officer. Jake strained to hear what was being said, but he could only catch a few words here and there.

Finally, Heck turned back around. "They didn't find anybody in the building, but they found evidence that there were people staying inside. A crib in one of the rooms and a strand of hair found on a bed." Brynna covered her face with her hands. Jake started for the door, but Wyatt was out of his chair and grabbed Jake's shoulder before he reached the door.

"Hold up, Jake," Wyatt looked at Sheriff Ballard. "What now?"

"We put out an amber alert on Caleb and the kids," Sheriff Ballard answered.

"That's it?" Jake questioned. "You're not going to do anything else?"

"We can search the building for more evidence, but there's not much we can go on," Sheriff Ballard explained. "If they leave the state, we'll know about it."

"But until then you're absolutely useless," Jake retorted. He turned his back on everybody and put his hand on the door.

"They're doing the best they can," Jake heard Louise say.

"Well, no offense sheriff, but your best sucks," With that, Jake let himself out and stalked down the porch steps. He stopped where Witch was tethered, contemplating getting on his horse and finding Sam himself. The idea was sounding more and more good the more he thought about it. He half-turned when he heard the front door of the house open and then close quietly.

Jake sighed when he saw that it was Jen. She was wearing jeans and a bright pink tee. "I'm not in the mood to talk right now, so if you don't mind." Jake told her as he started tightening the cinch on Witch's saddle.

"I know you're worried about Sam, we all are." Jen said not taking the hint. "The police are doing everything they can to find Sam and Cody."

"You know, I'm really getting tired of everyone telling me that," Jake replied, brushing past her and untying Witch from the hitching post.

"What? You actually think you could do a better job," Jen scoffed. She stopped however, when Jake stayed silent and mounted his mare instead. "You can't be serious?! It's only been two days, let the police-"

"Exactly, it's been two days!" Jake interrupted her. "And all they have is a crib and a strand of hair." He turned Witch around in the direction of the bridge. Jen hurriedly moved in front the black mare, who pinned her ears back at her.

"Jake, think for a minute," Jen said trying to talk some sense into him. "What are you going to do? Where are you going to start?"

"I am thinking," Jake told her calmly. "I'm thinking that Sam is in danger and needs my help. I'm going to find her." Jake kicked Witch into a trot and then a canter, his shoulders set in determination. Nothing was going to stop him from bringing Sam home, back to him.

* * *

**A/N: **Well, how was it? Did you like it? I'm hoping it won't be too long to get the next chapter up, but don't worry I'm not giving up on this story. Also look for my other stories to be updated on my actual account in the next few days. Please review!


	11. Revenge and Suffering

**A/N: **Just like I promised, here is the next chapter, in record time too. I will be updating all my stories this week just to let everyone know. :)

**Chapter Eleven**

**By: TheEquestrianWriter**

Sam woke up again disoriented and not knowing where she was. This room was smaller than the last with no windows, leaving the room in total darkness. She was lying on a small cot that moved whenever she did. Sam sat up and tried to see in the dark. When her eyes had adjusted to the dark she could see that there was a door across from her with a small window set into it with iron bars across it.

Outside the door was also dark, but Sam saw an orange flickering as well. _Torches, _Sam thought. She got up off the cot and made her way carefully to the door, she didn't want to trip and fall in the dark. Sam reached the door and tried the handle. It was locked. Sam suppressed a whimper and stood on tiptoes to see out the window.

"Help! Can anyone hear me?" Sam called out, gripping the iron bars with her hands. From what she could see, she was right about the torches. They were spaced at even intervals on both walls of the hallway. "Please help me!"

Suddenly, a face appeared in the barred window before her. Sam jumped back, startled. She could barely see his features in the dark, especially since he blocked out the light, but he only seemed a few years older than her, about twenty.

"Be quiet," he hissed, but his voice didn't sound harsh at all. It was surprisingly gentle for someone guarding her cell door.

"Please, let me go!" Sam begged him, feeling her eyes fill with tears, but she blinked them away hastily. "I want to go home!"

The boy's face looked pained as if he hated what he was about to say. "I'm sorry, but I must tell Caleb you're awake," he said regretfully. "Please stay quiet until I get back."

"No, please don't go..." Sam started to say, but it was too late. He was already gone. She tried the door again knowing it was useless. Sam slumped against the door, feeling what was left of her energy drain. She wasn't sure how much more she could take, but if she didn't do something soon it would be too late.

XXXX

It wasn't hard at all to find the abandoned house in downtown Dalton. Although there was no one around, the police had placed yellow caution tape around the house to prevent people from disturbing the crime scene. Jake had borrowed Darrell's car knowing that the Ely truck was more easily recognized. He parked the car in an alley two blocks away and walked back to the house. Dusk was coming, so Jake quickened his stride before he lost any daylight.

The house looked just like every other house on the street; there was nothing special about it that made it stand out from the rest. Jake stood behind the police tape, scrutinizing the building; looking for anything that didn't belong. Nothing. Glancing over his shoulder to make sure no one was there, Jake ducked under the police tape and walked up to the house. The door was slightly ajar, so Jake pushed the door open all the way.

The interior was dark and desolate. There was a staircase in the front hall and from what Jake could tell there was very little furniture in this place. The floorboards creaked as Jake walked across the hall to the stairs. He'd start upstairs and work his way down.

Upstairs, the hall stretched out on both sides of the staircase, with two doors on either side. Jake went down the hall on the left and chose one of the doors at random. The room was small and bare except for a twin-size bed pushed up against one wall and a nightstand next to it. He stepped further into the room, his heart quickening. Sam could have been in this room. It wasn't that far-fetched. The door only locked from the outside and the window was bolted.

Jake sat down on the bed and ran his hand over the bare mattress. He glanced over at the rest of the small room seeing nothing but feeling his chest tighten. What had they done to Sam in this room? Was she just a prisoner or something worse? The bed squeaked and groaned as Jake stood up. He was wasting time, there was nothing in here. But something pulled Jake's gaze back to the bed, toward the flat, limp pillow.

There was something scribbled on the wall behind the pillow. It wasn't consistent with the other random marks on the wall. This was done purposefully and recent. Jake tossed the pillow aside revealing more of it. There were three words scratched sloppily on the wall, but Jake could read it easily.

_Find me, Jake_

It was Sam, of course it was. This message was for him. Sam must have known Jake was going to come here. She knew he was searching for her. Jake couldn't help but remember last winter when Sam became trapped in the phantom's secret valley. He hadn't stopped until he had found a way to get to her. When he did, Sam had scaled halfway up the canyon wall. She hadn't waited to be rescued. It would just be like that this time; Jake would find out where she was and Sam would be fighting her way out, her spirit unbreakable.

With a renewed vigor, Jake searched the rest of the upstairs. He found nothing that the police hadn't already. Downstairs was pretty much the same. This house was indeed abandoned as it always had been. Jake kicked a loose stone in frustration. The stone bounced and rolled underneath the staircase and didn't stop until it hit an uneven floorboard.

Jake stared; it wasn't just one floorboard, there was a patch of floor under the staircase that was raised slightly higher than the rest of the floor. He walked over and knelt down to inspect it. He slid his fingers between the raised edges and lifted. The dark hole beneath was big enough for a person to fit through and Jake could see steps leading down into the darkness. It was a trapdoor. Caleb had to have taken Sam and Cody down there, Jake was sure of it. It was a perfect plan; fool the cops into thinking you escaped when your literally right under their feet. Except their plan was flawed because Jake figured it out. He was going down that tunnel and he was going to bring Sam out.

XXXX

Sam was lying on the cot when she heard footsteps outside the door. She heard the click of the lock being turned over and the door opened. The torchlight from the hall filtered into the room allowing Sam to see who it was. It was the guy who had been standing outside the door earlier. In the faint light, Sam could see that he was younger than she originally thought. He had dark brown hair underneath a black ski cap and soft gray eyes.

He came over to her as she sat up on the cot. Without looking at her, he took her hands and bound them together with a nylon cord he'd brought with him.

"Caleb wants to see you," he said helping Sam to her feet. He tugged her gently out of the room and into the hall. Sam looked anxiously around the hallway, searching for an escape. But the hall went on endlessly either way; the walls were made of stone and floor was rough-packed dirt. Sam was afraid that if she did make a break for it, she wouldn't be able to find her way through the tunnels with dim lighting and her hands bound. Instead, she turned to her captor.

"Please help me," Sam begged him. "Just get me out of here and I promise I'll vouch for you with the police. Please, just don't take me to him."

"I'm sorry, but it's out of my hands," was all he said as he started walking down the hall. Sam struggled against his hold the best she could until he gripped her shoulder and pushed her ahead of him.

Five minutes and a lot of walking later, the hallway ended at a large steel door. The guy opened the door and pushed Sam inside. The room was brighter than the hall had been and bigger than her prison cell. There was a large, metal table in the center of the room. In the far corner was metal chair facing a camera tripod. Sam spun around when the door slammed shut, leaving her in the presumably empty room.

"I'm glad to see you, Samantha," came Caleb's voice. Sam turned to see him sitting at a desk by the door. "I was beginning to think you were up to no good." He closed the laptop on the desk in front of him and got up and came over to her.

"What do you want?" Sam asked taking a step back.

"Darling, I thought we've settled this," Caleb said. "Revenge." Chills went down Sam's spine a split second before Caleb lunged and grabbed her. Sam screamed and struggled to free herself, but Caleb clamped a hand over her mouth.

"No one can hear you scream, sweetheart," he whispered in her ear. Sam flinched away from him. "This room is soundproof. No one even knows we're down here."

Sam didn't waste another moment, she kicked Caleb as hard as she could in the leg. Caleb buckled, losing his grip on her. Sam raced for the door and tugged on the handle. But it didn't budge.

"What now, Samantha?" Caleb asked her. Sam looked around at him with a mix of fear and horror on her face.

XXXX

The stairs seemed to go on forever. If it weren't for the flashlight he'd gotten from the car, Jake wouldn't have been able to see a thing. He shined the light on the step in front of him so he wouldn't fall, keeping his tread light so he wouldn't alert anyone to his presence. The farther down he went, the colder it became.

Finally, Jake reached the last step. He clicked off his flashlight when she saw the tunnel lined with torches. Someone could be close by. Jake moved quietly and deliberately, eyes scanning behind and in front of him. It was quiet, and Jake suddenly had a thought that he was chasing a dead-end. _No,_ Jake shook his head, everything made sense. This had to be the right way.

"Well, what do we have here?"

Jake looked up into two sets of eyes staring back at him in the dim torchlight. His heart hammered in his chest; they were armed. He was trapped.

* * *

**A/N: **I'm sorry it's short, but I'm just happy I got this chapter posted faster than before. As always, please review and tell me what you thought. :)


	12. Botched Rescue

**Chapter Twelve**

**Written by: TheEquestrianWriter**

Sam struggled against the bonds that kept her tied to the chair. She had also been gagged; Caleb had gotten tired of hearing her so he tied the gag around her mouth to keep her quiet. He was now sitting at the desk, clicking away on the keypad of his laptop. The camera sitting on the tripod in front of her leered at her, the red light blinking in an alternating pattern. On. Off. On. Off. Sam fumbled faster with the restraints around her wrists and gave a low groan when her fingers slipped.

"Is it working, princess?" Caleb asked, without looking at her. Sam glared at his back and reached out towards the tripod with her foot, with the intention of knocking it over. It took two attempts before her foot connected with the tripod. It fell to the floor, camera and all, with a loud crash. Caleb spun around in his chair.

Sam shrank back in the chair when Caleb thundered toward her. He grabbed her by the throat, his thumb pushing her chin up. "You are rapidly becoming more trouble than your worth," Caleb growled, his thumb pressing harder into her neck. "Keep it up and you won't live to see the fireworks."

Black spots were swarming in front of Sam's vision, she was losing consciousness. If it weren't for Caleb's hold on her, she probably would have fallen out of the chair. As it were, Sam almost didn't hear the sound of the door opening and bodies shuffling in.

"We found him at the tunnel's entrance," came a voice Sam didn't recognize. It sounded faraway. Caleb abruptly let go of her and turned to face the new arrivals. Sam gasped and sucked in as much air as she could, coughing on the gag.

Caleb blocked most of the view of the door, but she could make out two men, one being the one who had escorted her to this room. They were holding someone between them. Sam strained to see who it was, but her vision still hadn't cleared all the way. Caleb walked toward the threesome and Sam caught a glimpse of black, untamed hair.

"Jacob Ely," Caleb said and Sam's heart lurched. Jake was here? Sam strained even harder to see beyond Caleb. Then Caleb moved and Sam saw him. Jake stood slumped in between the two guards, who each had an arm. He hadn't seen her yet.

"Jake," Sam said, but it came out muffled and strangled against the gag. Jake must have heard her though, because he turned his head slightly and his brown mustang eyes locked on hers. It was then Sam saw that his lip was split and bleeding and he had a bruise blooming along his jaw. There was something unreadable in his expression as he started struggling against his captors.

"Thank you for bringing him to me," Caleb nodded for the guards to leave. The older guard gave Jake a shove before both of them retreated, the door clicking shut behind them. Caleb turned to include Sam in his gaze. "This just got a whole lot more interesting."

Jake didn't waste anymore time, he rushed over to Sam, but Caleb stopped him with a hand to his chest. Caleb made a halting motion at Jake, who glared at him.

"I would like to get this reunion on tape. For the parents, you know." Caleb explained as he walked over to the fallen tripod. "It turns out our little Sammy threw a little temper tantrum before you got here" Caleb righted the tripod and checked to make sure the camera was still in working form. Sam met Jake's eyes again. With just his presence, Sam felt a whole lot more calmer and safer.

Jake didn't want to wait for Caleb any longer, he ran the rest of the way to Sam. He could handle Caleb, nothing would stop him from getting to her. He knelt down in front of her and reached up to carefully remove the gag.

"Jake," Sam breathed, her mouth a little sore from where the gag had been. "You came."

"Of coarse, I came," Jake replied, running his hands through her messy, auburn hair. "I promised to keep you safe and I'm going to keep that promise."

Glancing behind him, Jake saw Caleb still looking through the viewfinder of the camera. Moving quickly, Jake undid Sam's restraints. They both waited for Caleb to say or do something, but nothing happened. Ignoring her aching wrists, Sam threw her arms around Jake, burying her face in the crook of his neck. Surprisingly, Jake returned her hug, gripping her tightly.

After a moment, Jake whispered, "Sam," Sam pulled back a little and looked at him. Jake opened his mouth to say something and then abruptly closed it. It looked like he was about to say something else, but, instead, he said, "I was so scared."

Sam couldn't help but smile. "Jake Ely scared? I didn't think that was possible." she teased him.

"I was scared for you," Jake admitted seriously.

It was then that Caleb came out from behind the camera, clapping his hands together and chuckling. "Well done, I couldn't have done it better myself. Your parents will be proud." Then Caleb's demeanor changed instantly, to serious and threatening. "Now, let's get back to business."

Caleb grabbed Jake's arm, yanking him to his feet. Jake reacted immediately, punching Caleb in the face. The two grappled for each other; each taking hits from the other. The fight didn't last long though. Sam screamed when Caleb pulled a gun out, aiming it at Jake's heart.

"That's enough of those antics, Mr. Ely," Caleb warned. "One more rash action like that and I will not hesitate to kill you." He clicked off the safety. Instantly, Sam was out of the chair and in front of Jake.

"You don't have to do that," Sam told Caleb. She didn't look at Jake, but she felt him put his hands on her waist as if he wanted to pull her behind him. Sam planted her feet, she wasn't budging. "We'll cooperate. I promise you, there will be no more fighting."

After a tense minute, Caleb lowered the gun. "I will hold you to that, Samantha. If Jacob steps out of line one more time, it will be you who pays." Involuntarily, Jake jerked Sam backward until she was pressed against him, as if by keeping her close to him she would be safer.

"Now, back in the chair, Samantha," Caleb said, grabbing Sam by the arm. He was met with resistance from both Sam and Jake, but eventually Sam found herself sitting back in the chair. "We must finish our little project to your father." He bound Sam's hands behind the chair again.

When he straightened, Caleb stared at Jake. Jake stared back. "As for you," Caleb replied. "Although, your visit came as a surprise, I am no less prepared." Using the gun, Caleb ushered Jake to the far side of the room. There was a shackle hanging attached to the stone wall. Jake looked at it.

"You must be crazy if you think you're going to chain me up to this," Jake sneered.

"Or I could just shoot Sammy in the head instead, your choice," Caleb threatened. Jake didn't say anything, but he didn't move either. Caleb snapped the shackle closed around Jake's right wrist. "There's a good lad." He turned and walked back to Sam.

"So, now what?" Sam asked, ignoring Jake's disapproving gaze. She couldn't help it; the relief she had felt when Jake first entered had rapidly diminished. "You keep us tied down here until the police come?"

"No, my dear," Caleb answered in a mock sweet tone, while pressing something on the camera. "We show your father what happens when he takes something that doesn't belong to him."

Before Sam could figure out what he meant, Caleb closed the distance between them, until he was leaning over her. She snaked his hand around the back of Sam's head and tugged on her hair, forcing her to look up at him. Tears burned at the back of Sam's eyes from his hard grip on her hair. Caleb was now so close to her. Sam's heart beat at a rapid pace and blood whooshed in her ears from the fear pulsing in her veins. Then, Caleb's mouth was on top of hers, his tongue sliding into her mouth.

Sam shrank back in the chair, but he was still there, kissing her. Her stomach heaved and threatened to turn itself upside down. She vaguely heard the rattle of a chain as Jake struggled furiously to get free. She couldn't see anything but Caleb's face smashed into hers. Caleb was now pulling at her shirt and she heard the fabric start to rip. The sound seemed to reverberate through Sam until she fought with a renewed vigor. Sam kicked his legs out from under him, but it only succeeded in knocking him slightly more on top of her.

Sam paused in her attempts to get free only long enough to realize the binding holding her hands together was coming loose. Caleb hadn't tied it as tightly as he had before. She wiggled her hands the rest of the way free until the binding fell to the floor. Without hesitation, Sam struck out with her fist, just like Darrell had taught her. Her fist connected with the side of Caleb's face, the force knocking him to the floor.

Sam scrambled out of the chair and readied to fend Caleb off again. Caleb picked himself up off the floor, cursing and growling, he lunged toward her. She was ready though, and punched him again, this time hitting him in the nose. There was a sickening crunch and then blood spurted out of Caleb's nose.

"You bitch," Caleb growled, pulling a hanker-chief out of his pocket, and putting it to his bloody nose. "You've just made things worse for yourself."

Sam braced herself for what was to come, but nothing did. Instead, Caleb stalked out of the room, the lock clicking into place when he shut the door behind him. For the first time since the kiss, Sam looked at Jake. His face was pale and he was stiff with rage, but the rage was slowing ebbing away to concern. Sam ran to him.

Jake caught her in a one-arm hug and held her tight. Sam buried her face into Jake's chest, breathing in the familiar smell of him. In his arms, she felt safe and happy and she never wanted to leave.

"Are you okay?" Jake asked her. His voice was muffled by her hair and she could feel his warm breath on her neck.

Sam pulled back to look at him. His brown eyes were wide with concern and fear. Seeing fear in Jake's eyes was strange and Sam wondered if maybe she should be afraid too. "I'm fine, just a little sick to my stomach right now." Sam managed a small laugh, but Jake's expression stayed the same.

"I'm sorry you had to go through that," Jake's voice was low as he ran his fingers lightly across her cheek. His touch sent shivers down Sam's spine. "You did good fighting him off like that. I'm proud of you."

"It wasn't your fault," Sam told him. She found herself reaching up and touching the bruise on Jake's face. He flinched a little at her touch. Then, glancing down at her torn shirt, Sam gripped Jake's shirt hard in her fist. "Caleb is a slimy toad and I was happy to give him that bloody nose. I only regret that I didn't hurt him more."

Jake tried to hide a smile to that, but Sam saw it anyway.

"I promise you, Sam, I won't let that bastard touch you again," Jake promised. Sam shivered at the intensity of Jake's words. "But you're going to have to do what I tell you, when I tell you. No hesitating."

Sam nodded.

Jake gripped her shoulders. "I mean it, Sam. When I tell you to run, I need you to go," Jake told her. "Follow the tunnel, it will lead you to the way out and go to the police. Tell them everything you know."

"I can't leave you here. I won't," Sam said, shaking her head. She picked up Jake's shackled wrist. "We can get you out of here. Can you pick the lock?"

Jake shook his head, "I already tried." He stopped Sam's attempts of prying the shackle open with her hands, and took her hand in his. He looked into her eyes, which were filled with tears. "Sam...I love you."

Sam's breath caught in her throat. Jake had never expressed feelings toward anyone, not even her. She didn't know what to say. Sam became conscious that Jake had moved closer to her and then his lips were on hers. After having been kissed against her will less than ten minutes ago, Sam expected her body to freeze, but Jake's kiss was different. He was slow and hesitant as though he were afraid she might break if he pressed too hard.

But Sam wanted this. She could feel Jake start to pull away, so she kissed him back harder. Jake didn't hesitate; their lips parted, inviting each other in. Their tongues dancing together, exploring unknown territory. The kiss only lasted about half a minute, but Sam had lost all track of time. When they broke apart, they were both breathing heavy and Jake leaned his forehead against hers.

"I'm going to get you out of here," Jake whispered, his thumb brushing her cheek. Sam didn't say anything. As much as she wanted to go home to her family, she wasn't going to leave Jake here in the clutches of a madman. They'll just have to find a way out together.

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**A/N: **Yay, Sake kissed! I thought I would give you guys something if I'm going to start to torture you guys. Hehe! 'Cause I think from this chapter and on is where it's starts to get intense and you wonder what's going to happen? I'm also going to make a trailer to go with this story so look out for that. As always, please review and tell me what you think. :)


	13. The DVD

**A/N:** It's later than I planned, but at least I'm updating right. Okay, I'm sorry in advance if this chapter is a little blah, but it needed to be done and that is part of the reason why it took me longer to write it. Enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** This is a work of fanfiction; I own nothing. All characters, settings, etc belong to the author, Terry Farley. The song is Run Daddy Run by Miranda Lambert.

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**Chapter Thirteen**

**By: TheEquestrianWriter**

The Spanish mustang tossed his head as he jogged over the River Bend bridge. His stride was smooth and energetic, showing no signs of fatigue. That was one thing Wyatt liked about the gelding; it didn't matter how long they were out on the range, the mustang never seemed like he got that tired. Wyatt gave the blue and white paint a pat on the neck, which the gelding took it as a chance to increase his speed.

"No, you don't," Wyatt murmured, turning the mustang in a circle until he decreased his speed. "Atta' boy, Blue." Blue Wings snorted and tossed his mane.

The gelding was obviously glad to be back at the ranch, Wyatt, however, was not. At least when he was out on the range, Wyatt could feel like he was doing something and lose himself in his work. But when he was home, Wyatt was faced with the brutal reality; both his children were missing. Wyatt felt helpless and angry that he couldn't do anything while Samantha and Cody could be anywhere, hurt even.

There's been no news on the whereabouts of Caleb or the kids and now no one knew where Jake was. Everybody has assumed he went off to find Sam by himself. Wyatt envied the young man; he wished that he could go find Sam and Cody on his own. But he just couldn't just run off and leave his home life a mess, especially now that Louise was back. Wyatt had no idea what he was going to do about that.

As they grew closer to the ranch house, Wyatt could make out a figure standing on the porch. It was Brynna. She looked anxious, like she'd been waiting awhile. Wyatt pulled up Blue Wings, and, ignoring the gelding's little buck of protest, dismounted. He handed the mustang's reins to Ross as the quiet cowboy started to walk past.

"Take care of him for me?" Wyatt asked him.

Ross nodded, and took Blue's reins. He led Blue along with his horse, Tank, to the barn. Wiping his hands on his jeans, Wyatt turned and started walking to the house. His mind was rapidly sifting through multiple scenarios, all of them no better than the last. Wyatt was halfway up the porch steps when Brynna started speaking.

"Caleb's been in contact with us," she said.

_Daddy, can you hear the devil drawing near_

_Like a bullet from a gun,_

_Run daddy run_

Wyatt hurried up the rest of the steps. "What? What did he say?" he replied in disbelief.

"He sent this," Brynna said, holding up a black DVD case. Wyatt took it from her and opened it up. Inside was just a plain, simple disc, no note or anything.

"What's on it? Has the police seen this?" Wyatt asked.

Brynna nodded, tucking a piece of red hair behind her ear. "I called the police as soon as I found it," she explained. "They told us to go ahead and watch it and they'll send someone over as soon as they can. I couldn't even open it before you came home." She put her hands to her head. "Oh, Wyatt, what if something horrible is on that DVD?"

"Hey," Wyatt said putting his hands on her shoulders. "It's going to be okay." Brynna nodded, taking deep, even breaths. He put an arm around her shoulders and steered to the house. "Let's go see what this animal has done with our children."

The kitchen was empty when they entered the house and they continued to the living room. Louise was sitting in one of the armchairs, her auburn hair pulled back in a loose ponytail, she stood up when Wyatt and Brynna came in. Wyatt couldn't help notice how at ease Louise seemed here, it was as if she had never been gone. He didn't realize how much he'd missed her presence in the house until now.

"Ready to start?" Louise asked them, indicating the DVD.

Brynna and Wyatt both nodded and Wyatt gestured for both women to sit, while he put the DVD in the DVD player. Louise sat back down in the armchair and Brynna took a spot on the couch. Wyatt grabbed the remote and sat down next to Brynna. He glanced quickly at Louise, but she averted his gaze and stared at the television. Wyatt hit play on the remote and the TV clicked to life.

At first, it was just a shot of a dim, bare room with only an empty chair facing the camera. Then the sound of footsteps echoed through the room until someone stepped in front of the camera. It was Caleb. Wyatt clenched his hands into fists, just seeing the man made him want to leap through the television and kill him.

"Hello, Wyatt," Caleb grinned into the camera. "Are you enjoying your two lovely brides?" He chuckled for a moment and then he grew serious, very serious.

"It wasn't supposed to be this way," Caleb continued. "We were all getting along fine. Until your daughter stuck her nose where it didn't belong. Now, I'm alone and you, Wyatt, have two wives and two children."

Wyatt ran a hand over his face. "What do you want?" he yelled at the TV.

As if he heard him, Caleb's grin widened. "I'm sure you're worried about them. Your children. Don't worry, they're both safe."

_All the songs you used to sing to me_

_Would rock birds to sleep_

_I need you now, so please somehow,_

_Put rockets on your feet_

The scene cut away and another took its' place. It was the same room as before except there was someone sitting in the chair this time. It was Sam. She was blindfolded and her hands were bound together behind her back. She was trembling as Caleb walked into view and stood over her. Wyatt was trembling too, but with fury. That pig had his daughter and who knows what he was doing to her.

_Daddy, can you hear the devil drawing near_

_Like a bullet from a gun,_

_Run daddy run_

"You have your mother's beauty," Caleb said to Sam, and then he half-turned toward the camera. "Doesn't she, Wyatt?"

Brynna put a hand on Wyatt's arm as if she thought he was about to lunge toward the TV. Actually, he probably would have, given that he was gripping the couch cushions with both hands. He hadn't even realized he'd been doing it. Wyatt glanced at Louise. She was sitting on the edge of her chair, staring at the TV, her face pale. A part of him wanted to go to her and comfort her, but he stayed where he was. He turned back to the television. What he saw next made him sick to his stomach.

Caleb had pulled a knife out and was running it lightly down Sam's face. He wasn't trying to hurt her, not yet anyway. Wyatt could see that his daughter was trying to hold it together, but she was rapidly losing control.

"Daddy's little girl," Caleb murmured. He traced the knife down Sam's neck. "How far will he go to protect her?" Caleb tossed the knife to the floor and leaned down closer to Sam. "Let's find out, shall we?"

_Saw that dark cloud coming from a million miles away_

_Oh, how I dreaded this God forsaken day_

_Daddy, can you hear the devil drawing near_

_Like a bullet from a gun,_

_Run daddy run_

Then, Caleb was kissing his daughter. He pinned her to the chair as Sam struggled against him. Wyatt heard Louise get up and flee the room, he didn't blame her. He couldn't stand just sitting here while that animal had his little girl. Back on the screen Caleb had pulled away abruptly. He put his hand to his lip; it was bleeding.

_Mama's been crying in the kitchen_

_Sister's been afraid of the dark_

_I've been gathering the pieces of all these shattered hearts_

"Bitch," Caleb growled and he slapped Sam hard across the face. The impact made Sam topple over in the chair and out of sight of the camera. Wyatt flinched when he heard her hit the floor. The screen when black for a second and then Caleb was back, speaking to the camera again.

_And I don't care where you go to_

_I don't care where you land_

_But just get out of there, daddy_

_As fast as you can_

"As you saw, I'm having a little trouble reining Samantha in," Caleb said. "But don't worry, she'll soon submit to my will. Unless she's the one you want."

Wyatt narrowed his eyes.

"Yes, Wyatt Forster, you must choose," Caleb elaborated. "You can't have it all. One wife, one child. Pick one and I'll return him or her to you completely unharmed."

Brynna drew a sharp intake of breath.

"You have two days to decide," Caleb went on. "I'll be at the Dalton high school at noon on Saturday, awaiting your decision. Think of it as a new beginning, for both of us."

"He's kidding, right?" Wyatt asked incredulously. He turned towards Brynna, but she was still staring at the television. Caleb wasn't done yet.

"I almost forgot," Caleb was saying. "Your son is doing fine as well."

At that, the scene changed again. This time it was an up close shot of a baby boy. Cody. He was lying on his belly with his head turned to one side. He also appeared to be sleeping peacefully, unharmed. It looked like he was in a crib with Elmo sheets. Wyatt heard Brynna choke back a sob, so he took her hand in his and squeezed it.

_Daddy, can you hear the devil drawing near_

_Like a bullet from a gun,_

_Run daddy run_

There was movement in the bottom left-hand corner of the screen and then a slender, tan hand appeared. It pulled a soft blue blanket up around Cody's shoulders before resting at the back of his head. Wyatt could hear soft humming coming from off-screen. Cody cooed softly in his sleep. The hand stayed a moment longer and then disappeared off camera. The camera zoomed in on Cody's sleeping face and then the picture was gone completely.

"Your son or your daughter," Caleb was back on screen. He grinned wickedly. "Who do you love more?"

The TV clicked off for good after that, Wyatt and Brynna were left sitting in silence. Wyatt didn't know what to think. How could he choose between his children? What kind of person would make someone choose between their children? Wyatt shook his head. One thing was certain; he was bringing both of his children home on Saturday.

_Run Daddy Run_

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

An hour later, Wyatt sat with Sheriff Ballard at the kitchen table. They were discussing the plan to get the kids back. Wyatt hadn't seen Louise since they watched the DVD and Brynna was outside with Penny, her blind mare. She'd said she needed some time alone and Wyatt had given her that.

"The idea is not to provoke him, but to reason with him," Sheriff Ballard explained. "You'll go to the school on Saturday, let him think he's in control. I'll have officers placed strategically around the school and when it's safe, we'll extract the kids."

"Are you sure this will work?" Wyatt asked. "Caleb has to know we'll try something like this."

"He probably does," Sheriff Ballard said after he took a sip of his coffee. "But it's the only chance we have and we have to take it. We'll take every precaution to make sure we get Sam and Cody back safely." After he finished his coffee, Sheriff Ballard stood up. "If nothing turns up before then, I'll see you on Saturday."

Wyatt stood up and walked the sheriff out. "See you, Heck," Sheriff Ballard walked down the steps of the porch to his patrol car. Brynna waved to him from where she was walking Penny and he waved back at her.

Wyatt watched his wife lead her mare to the ten-acre pasture. She looked sad and didn't know what to do with herself since Cody's been missing. That little boy had given her so much in a few short months and if he didn't come back... No, he wasn't going to think like that. They were getting their son back and Sam too. This ranch wasn't the same without his daughter.

There was no way Wyatt was going to let Caleb keep either one of his children.

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**A/N:** How was it? Please Review!


	14. A Choice is Made

**A/N: **I am sorry for the long wait between updates again. Trust me, I really hate doing it. I would really like to update at least once a month. Anyway, please enjoy this chapter. :)

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**Chapter Fourteen**

Sam awoke to the dark again inside her small cell. She was getting tired of the dark, it seemed like that was all she ever saw anymore. Caleb had one of his minions, the younger one who had told her his name was Corey, bring her back to the cell after he was done with his little experiments. She's been in here ever since not knowing how long it's been, but it felt like days. Corey would come in every so often with some food and water. It was never a lot, just enough to put off starvation and it was always bland.

Sitting up, Sam swung her legs over the edge of the cot and that's when she saw the tray on the floor. Six stale crackers sat on top of it with a half-filled glass of water. Corey must have brought it in when she was sleeping. She pushed the tray away with her foot, not feeling very hungry. It made a loud scuffing sound, slicing through the silence, causing Sam to flinch.

"Sam?"

Sam turned to look at the door, thinking the whisper probably belonged to Corey. But the way her heart started beating faster, she knew it wasn't him. Sam stood up and walked over to the door to peer out the barred window. The hallway was empty, so Sam didn't know where the voice had come from until she heard it again.

"Sam,"

The voice came from straight ahead and when she looked, there was a door opposite hers. A familiar face was watching her from the barred window.

"Jake," Sam breathed. "Are you alright?"

"I should be asking you that question," Jake said, and Sam could hear the relief in his voice. "I don't have long, they'll be back soon to take you out."

"Out? Take me where?" Sam asked, her stomach clenching nervously.

"I don't know, that's all Corey would tell me," Jake admitted. He shifted and looked like he was about to reach out to her, but something stopped him.

"So, you've talked to Corey, too?"

"He seems to have a guilty conscience, makes it easy to get him to talk," Jake said. _Hm, I wish all guys were that easy to get to talk, _Sam smiled to herself, then she looked back Jake, who was still speaking. "Sam, I need you to listen to me and do what I say. Alright, Sam?"

When she nodded, Jake continued, "The first chance you get, Sam, you have to run. Do not hesitate, just run. Keep running until you get someplace safe."

"What about you? You'll still be trapped here. And my brother, Jake, what about Cody?" Sam protested. She was ready to be free of this place, but not at the expense of her baby brother and Jake.

"Sam, I don't think Cody is here. Caleb hasn't mentioned him and Corey hasn't seen him." Jake said, grimly. "And don't worry about me. I can handle Caleb. I just have to know that you're safe. If you're safe, then I'll be fine."

Panic gripped Sam like a vice as she clutched the bars so tight her knuckles turned white. "But Jake, if I escape he'll have no reason to keep you alive. He'll—he'll-" Sam couldn't get the words out, she couldn't accept that would be Jake's fate.

Jake gave a slight nod of his head; he'd already thought it through. He was giving himself up to save her. "Please Sam, just do this one thing for me."

"No!" The shout broke from Sam before she could stop it. "No, you can't do that! I'm not going to leave you to die. No!" Jake was lucky that they were locked in separate cells because she really wanted to shake some sense into him. They both were quiet after that, their gazes locked, hoping the other would see reason.

Footsteps echoed down the corridor and Sam sprang backward into her cell until her legs hit the edge of the cot and she collapsed down on top of it. The person was coming closer and then they stopped right in front of her door. Sam could just make out the top of a blonde head through the door. The door opened and Corey stepped into the cell.

He wore a grim expression as he came toward her. "It's time to go, Sam." he said. He carried a hanker-chief in one hand, but Sam's gaze flickered to the other one, where a set of silver keys dangled from his hand.

Sam sat very still, not daring to move. This was her chance. Sam curled her hand into a fist, and, when Corey reached out to her, she pulled back her arm and punched him as hard as she could in the face. Taken by surprise, Corey fell to the floor. Sam didn't hesitate; she jumped up, scooped up the keys that had fallen to the floor and ran for Jake's cell. She didn't even make it out of her own cell, however, when Corey seized her ankle, causing her to fall. Her face smacked roughly on the stone floor and Corey dragged her backward towards him.

He pulled her half up off the floor and held her against him as he tied the hanker-chief over her eyes. "I'm so sorry," he whispered hoarsely in her ear. Sam shivered involuntarily, not out of fear, but from the regret that filled his words. Corey hauled Sam to her feet and hustled her out of the cell.

**/X/X/X/X/X/X/X/X/X/X/X/X/X/X/X/X/X/X/X/X/X/**

Sam didn't know where she was. She did know she was moving, not consciously moving her legs, but inside a car. And she was alone. Sam sat up and pulled the blindfold from her eyes. She could now she that she was in the back of a large van. It was empty, with the exception of one empty soda bottle and no windows.

Muffled voices came from the front of the van, though she couldn't hear what they were saying. Sam banged on the side of the van with her fist. "Let me out of here! Please, just let me go!" she yelled.

There was a bang from up front and then an unfamiliar voice. "Be quiet back there!" he yelled back to her.

"Don't worry, sweetie, you'll see your daddy soon," Caleb added with a laugh. Sam suppressed a growl, but she couldn't stop herself from punching the side of the van again. She regretted it immediately, however, when her hand started throbbing.

Sam slumped against the wall, cradling her right hand. Her eyes burned with unshed tears at the sting in her left cheek. It still felt raw from when she grappled with Corey and fell on the stone floor back in the tunnels. Just thinking about that made her think about Jake, still trapped in the cell. What would happen to him now? Sam feared the worse.

They traveled for a half hour or so and then the van stopped abruptly, pitching Sam forward. The car doors opened and a second later slammed closed again. Footsteps came around to the back of the van and then both back doors swung open. Bright sunlight filtered into the van, making Sam squint against the intensity. All Sam could see were two shadows blocking her only way of escape.

"Go secure the perimeter, make sure no cops get within a hundred feet of the school," Caleb ordered the other shadow. "I'll take care of our girl." The other man left with the click of a gun, leaving her alone with Caleb.

_School?_ Sam thought. Were they at Dalton High school? She could barely see outside the van, but she thought she saw the basketball courts. Why were they here?

"Are you going to come out by yourself or am I going to have to come in there and get you myself?" Caleb asked, in a nauseatingly sweet tone.

Hesitantly, Sam slid to the back of the van, towards Caleb. She was ready for anything, but Caleb grabbed her wrist before she could try anything. He quickly bound her wrists together and reached inside the van to pick up the hanker-chief she had taken off. Sam scooted to the edge of the van, letting her legs dangle off the end. Caleb stepped in front of her.

"I'm sorry, sweetie, but I can't take any chances," Caleb mock apologized. He wrapped the blindfold around her eyes, jerking her head back by her hair only when Sam tried to move away.

Sam was in the dark again as Caleb led her away from the van to what she thought was the school. They went through a set of doors and kept walking down what seemed like an endless hallway until Caleb steered her right. A moment later, he pushed Sam down into a desk.

"Where's the child?" came Caleb's gruff voice. Sam heard movement from across the room, like someone getting up and the sound of a stroller being pushed.

_Cody,_ Sam thought. _Cody is here._

"Excellent," Caleb said, the smile evident in his voice. "Let the games begin." Sam shivered at his words. What was Caleb planning? Sam turned towards the door when it sounded like somebody new came into the classroom.

"He's here," the new voice said.

Footsteps approached Sam and then Caleb's voice was in her ear. "Daddy's here, Sammy, ready to go see him?" Without waiting for an answer, Caleb hauled her to her feet.

As they walked, Caleb kept one hand on the back of her neck and the other pressed the barrel of a gun against her spine. They may have walked through the whole building, that's what it felt like to Sam, until they went through a set of heavy doors. Stepping outside, Sam could feel the fresh air on her skin and the sun burned red at the edges of the blindfold. Caleb jerked her to a stop and Sam heard a small gasp come from somewhere in front of her.

"Hello, Wyatt," Caleb greeted. Hope fluttered in Sam's stomach. Her father was here! "As you can see, I've kept my end of the bargain, both of your children are unharmed."

There was no reply, but Caleb just kept talking anyway. "But you haven't," he went on. "You've brought you're second wife along. And no doubt the police are lurking around here somewhere." Caleb tisked and then grinned sardonically. "No matter, this won't take that long."

"This is over, Caleb!" Wyatt shouted. He didn't sound close, but he didn't sound that far away either. "Hand over my children now!"

"Now, Wyatt, have we forgotten?" Caleb chided. "You're only leaving here with one. Which one have you chosen?"

"You're not going to get away with this, Caleb," Wyatt said. It sounded to Sam like he was trying to restrain himself from running over here and grabbing her and Cody. "You can make it easy for yourself, and hand them both over right now."

Caleb's hand tightened on the back of Sam's neck; he was getting impatient. "Pick one," he seethed. Then, as fast as lightning, Caleb hooked an arm around Sam's neck and pressed the gun to her temple, clicking the bullet into place. "Or your daughter dies right here." Sam couldn't stop the whimper that escaped her lips.

There was a tense moment of silence. Sam's legs were wobbly and her heart was pounding like crazy. She kept waiting for her father to say something or the police to do something. But nobody did. It was like they were suspended in time, the silence was deafening. Sam flinched when Caleb let out a guffaw of laughter.

"I know, it's a tough decision," Caleb said, the gun falling from its' place at Sam's temple. "So, I'll make it for you." Caleb whispered something to one of his men and then Sam heard the sound of the stroller being shoved forward. "Now, you have a son to inherit your ranch." Sam's heart plummeted.

Suddenly, Caleb must have given some kind of signal, gunfire broke out. It sounded like it was coming from all around Sam. Then, she was dragged back through the doors, away from her family. Sam tried to scream, but a hand promptly covered her mouth, cutting it off. It was fruitless, no one would have been able to hear her over the gunfire anyway.

**/X/X/X/X/X/X/X/X/X/X/X/X/X/X/X/X/X/X/X/X/X/**

As soon as the shooting ceased, Brynna scrambled out of Wyatt's grasp from where he had pulled her to the ground to avoid getting shot. While the police and Wyatt surged toward the school's entrance, Brynna hurried to the stroller, where her son was lying. Nothing else mattered, all Brynna wanted was to look at her son and see that he was okay. But when she pulled back the blanket covering the baby that wasn't what she found. Her heart nearly stopped at the sight.

"NOOO!"

Wyatt ran back to his wife at her scream of angst. With shaking hands, Brynna picked up the doll from the stroller for Wyatt to see. He stopped in his tracks. There was a piece of paper tucked into the baby doll's cloth diaper. Wyatt plucked the paper from the doll and read it.

_You didn't think I'd make it this easy, did you?_

Wyatt turned the paper over and saw a name printed on the underside.

_Sylvie Roberts_

The paper crumpled in Wyatt's hand as the doll let out a monotone cry verging on a laugh.

* * *

**A/N: **Muhahaha! If you would like to find out what happens to Sam and Cody(and Jake) next, please just send a review. I love hearing what you all have to say. Please, review! :)


	15. Cody's New Home

**A/N: **I am once again sorry for the long wait, but I have a feeling that updates will be coming a lot faster. A little change to the story, I know I changed Cody's age once before, but I'm changing him back to one year old. Sorry for the inconvenience and everything else is still the same. Enjoy. :)

* * *

**Chapter Fifteen**

**Written by: TheEquestrianWriter**

The baby's cry startled Sylvie Roberts out of a light sleep. She had been taking a small nap on the couch while her new son was sleeping. It had seemed like she was only asleep for five minutes. Tossing her long, dark hair behind her shoulders, she scrambled off the couch and hurried to the back of the apartment, almost tripping over a stroller on her way. The crying was getting louder.

The nursery was the last door in the hallway, it was the brightest room in the apartment. When Sylvie came into the nursery, the one-year-old, little boy was standing up in the mahogany crib. When he saw her, he reached out to her, tears leaking out his eyes. Sylvie's heart went out to the little boy. In one week, the child's life was turned upside down. Everything he had ever known was ripped away from him.

Six months ago, Sylvie and her husband of two years had lost a baby girl. She had been stillborn, and, though the pregnancy had been a surprise, they were devastated. They were young and hadn't thought about the prospect of children, until Sylvie went to the doctor with a really bad stomach ache and came back pregnant. After that, the two of them were excited to become parents. Seven months later, their baby girl was dead. It wasn't until a few weeks ago that they decided to try for another baby. So far, their attempts seemed futile, but the doctors were optimistic. She was young and healthy, with nothing preventing from getting pregnant. Except, Sylvie and her husband wanted to start their family now, so they went the adoption route.

Cody's persistent crying broke Sylvie out of her thoughts. She hurried over to the crib and picked up the one-year-old. Cody quieted down almost immediately; he was starting to settle into his new home. It was fate that the baby came into their lives. Yes, he had to lose his parents in a car accident, but he had found a loving, new family. Cody's parents had to be relieved he'd found a nice couple to take care of him.

Cody was sucking on his thumb, looking up at her with those big, brown eyes of his. She smiled down at him, so glad he was in her life. She picked up a stuffed, black horse and handed it to Cody. Cody smiled and wrapped it in a hug. That was one thing she found out about him; he loves horses. He made a sound that sounded like 'Blackie'.

"How about we get out of this pink room?" Sylvie said as she carried Cody out of the room. When she stepped into the hallway, she said, "I promise, we'll redo it soon. How about a baseball theme? Daddy will like that, or a horsey one?" Cody just stared up at her, clutching his horse.

Sylvie had just sat down on the couch in the living room and flipped on the television, when the apartment door opened. Corey, her husband, walked in and dropped his overnight bag by the door. He smiled when he saw the two of them sitting on the couch.

"Hey, there's my two favorite people in the whole world," Corey greeted. He came over and sat down next to them on the couch, giving Sylvie a quick kiss on the lips first. "How is he settling in?"

"Okay," Sylvie answered, looking down at Cody, who was staring at the television, where Thomas the Train was playing. "He misses his mommy and daddy, of course. It breaks my heart whenever he looks around the room like he's looking for them."

Corey nodded slowly. "It's not easy for any kid to lose their parents, like he did." he said as he stroked Cody's dark hair. It looked brown, but when the light hit it, there was a small tint of red to it. "But he's lucky to have found people like us, who love and care about him already."

They both smiled down at Cody, when he let out a laugh at something on the TV. Whatever had happened, had ended up with Thomas covered in coal. "Choochoo durdy," Cody said pointing at the TV.

"That's right, he is," Sylvie replied to him. "And so are you. Are you ready for a bath?"

Cody looked up at her. "Baff?"

"Yeah, do you want a bath?" she repeated. Cody nodded. Sylvie sat him down on the couch and stood up. She turned to her husband. "Can you watch him while I run the water?"

"Of course," Corey said. He picked up Cody's stuffed horse from where it had fallen to the floor and handed it to Cody with a smile. Sylvie turned to leave and then turned back around again.

"Oh, did you and Caleb end up finding his daughter?" Sylvie asked Corey.

Corey glanced up at her briefly. "Uh, yeah, we did," He fidgeted like he was uncomfortable. "She's with him now."

"That's good, right?" she said, taking a step toward him. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know," Corey sighed. "She just didn't seem that happy to see him."

"Well, she's bound to have some resentment toward him for not being in her life-"

Corey shook his head. "No, it was more than just resentment, it was pure hatred she showed him." He rubbed a hand over his face. "I don't really want to talk about this anymore. Besides, you should get that bath going, this guy's a little antsy." Corey stopped Cody from crawling off the couch and set him on his feet in front of the coffee table. Cody reached over and picked up a yellow block that was sitting on the table.

With a reassuring smile from Corey, Sylvie hurried off to get the bath started. Corey smiled at his soon-to-be adoptive son as the one-year-old stared at the TV and ran the block over the top of the table. He started to move closer to him, when his phone started ringing in his pocket. He held his breath, hoping it wasn't Caleb. Corey pulled his phone out and checked the caller id; it was his friend, Aaron.

"Hey, Aaron, what's up?" Corey answered. He got up and walked away, keeping within sight of Cody. "Yeah, I just got back..."

In that same moment, Sylvie's cellphone, that was sitting on the coffee table, starting ringing. Cody looked at the phone, then at at Corey, pointing at the phone. "Fone," he said, but Corey didn't hear him or the phone. Cody toddled over and picked up the phone, the screen brightening as he did. He put it to his ear like he saw Corey do and there was a female voice on the other end.

"Mama,"

**/X/**

"Let us out of here!" Sam yelled, her voice hoarse from all the yelling she'd been doing. "Just let us go!" She was back inside the van, but she wasn't alone this time. Jake was with her, though he'd been knocked unconscious and he hadn't regain consciousness yet. Sam kept vigilantly checking on him to make sure he was still breathing.

Receiving no answer, Sam slumped against the wall, feeling utterly defeated. They were never getting out of here. Caleb proved that a few hours ago when he refused to let her go. At least, Cody was safe, she was assuming. Sam blew out a sigh and that's when she saw a slight movement on the other side of the van. Jake was stirring.

He stretched his legs out first and then groaned when he tried to move his arms, and found he couldn't. They were bound together behind his back. Sam crawled over to Jake just as he lifted his head. "Jake," Sam breathed. "Don't move."

"Sam, I'm fine," Jake reassured her as he struggled to sit up. Seeing that it was futile to try and stop him, Sam helped Jake into a sitting position. For once, he didn't resist her help. Jake leaned his head back against the wall and blew out a long sigh, wincing at the strain in his shoulders. Now that he was up, Sam could see that the left side of his face was bruised and his hair hung loose and in his face. He looked like a wild mustang caught in the holding pens at Willow Springs. His body sagged with exhaustion, but his eyes glinted with determination.

"If you're going to keep staring at me, you might as well try and get these binds off of me." Jake said, breaking into her thoughts.

Sam started and averted her gaze. She shuffled behind Jake, he leaned forward so that she could see his hands. She drew in a sharp intake of breath when she saw the chains wrapping his hands together. "Jake, I don't think..." Sam admitted, feeling guilty that she couldn't help him.

"It's okay, Sam," Jake told her. He started to lean back again, but Sam put a hand on his back, stopping him. She had to at least try. When Sam started fussing with the chains, pulling them this way and that, Jake said, "Sam, it's okay."

"Jake, no, it's not okay," Sam said, wanting to cry out in frustration. It seemed like she was only making the chains tighter instead of looser. "I have to get these off of you."

"Sam, stop," Jake tried to make his voice sound stern, but it didn't work. Sam wasn't giving up.

"Shh, I can't concentrate when you keep talking," Sam replied. Jake actually listened to her for once and just sat there as she worked. The only sound in the van was the clinking of the chains falling against each other. She gritted her teeth in concentration. Finally, she was able to loosen it enough for Jake to slip one hand free, but the chains were still wrapped around the other one. Sam could see that the chains had started to dig into his wrist, leaving big, ugly, red welts behind.

"I'm sorry, I tried..." Sam started to apologize, but Jake stopped her.

"It's okay, you did good," Jake assured her. Then, he gave her his lazy tomcat smile. "And now, I can use this," He held up his right hand clutching the chain that dangled from his wrist. "As a weapon to smash Caleb's head in."

Sam didn't react. She just kept her eyes trained down. Jake was still and silent, like the rock he always was, until his fingertips grazed her bruised cheek. It was still sensitive, so a twinge of pain went through her at his touch, but she didn't let it show. He brushed her hair back behind her ear. Sam finally dared to look up and met Jake's eyes.

"What's the matter?" Jake asked her.

"I'm scared, Jake," Sam confessed, her voice barely above a whisper. "This is it. We're not getting out of here. I'm never going to see my family again."

"Hey," Jake scooted closer to her, the chain dragged on the floor behind him. "We are getting out of here. As soon as they open those doors." He nodded to the back doors. "Thanks to you, we even have a little advantage."

Sam watched him as Jake cupped her face with his hands. She thought he was going to kiss her, she wanted him to kiss her, but he only pressed his lips to her forehead. Sam closed her eyes, loving the feel of his lips on her skin. "Kiss me," she breathed, her lips barely forming the words. For a moment, Jake didn't move. Sam opened her eyes and looked at him. He was staring at her and then he obliged. His lips met hers in a slow, sweet kiss. Jake's hands still cupped her face as he continued to kiss her soft and slow. It was just like their first kiss, but yet different, better.

When Jake pulled back, Sam wrapped her arms around his waist and pulled herself onto his lap, resting her head on his chest. "You always make me feel better." she whispered into his shirt.

Jake wrapped his arms around her, holding her close. They stayed like that for a long time, holding on to each other. Neither one of them spoke, they didn't have to. The van kept driving down the road to wherever they were going. Good or bad, they were in this together.

**/X/**

"_Mama,"_

It has been an hour since Brynna called Sylvie Roberts' phone and heard Cody's voice on the other end. His small voice kept repeating on a loop in her mind. _Mama. Mama. Mama. _She couldn't explain how she knew it was him, maybe it was a mother's intuition, but she _knew_ with every fiber of her being that _her_ son had spoken to her. It had only been for thirty seconds and then they were disconnected, but that was all Brynna needed. A giant relief flooded through her, when she realized her son was alright. He wasn't hurt and didn't appear to be in any danger, if he was picking up phones. But where was he?

"Did you here any other voices in the background?" Sheriff Ballard asked. He sat across from her on the couch. Another officer stood next to him with an open notebook in his hand and a pencil. They've been at this for an hour, and Brynna was tired answering the same questions over and over again.

Brynna shook her head. "Well, I might have heard a male voice, but I couldn't make out what it said. Like I said before, I was so shocked to hear Cody's voice, I wasn't thinking clearly. And, then, the line went dead." She felt Wyatt put a hand on her shoulder from where he stood behind the reclining chair and she reached up and squeezed it.

Sheriff Ballard nodded understandingly. "We can trace the number and see what we come up with. This is a good sign, it means your son is okay."

"Thank you, sheriff," Wyatt mumbled. He hasn't said much since the phone call.

"What about Sam and Jake?" Louise suddenly spoke up. She had also been silent for the whole police questioning. "Caleb still has them."

"Now, let's not get ahead of ourselves," Sheriff Ballard held up a hand to stop her. "We don't know for sure Caleb has Jake, too. He could have just struck out on his own. Caleb didn't mention him at the school and he wasn't spotted in the area. As for Sam, we have the license plate number on the van and I have a team of officers tracking them as we speak. We should hear something soon."

"What should we do until then?" Wyatt asked.

"Keep the word out about the kids, newspapers, social media, anything to let people know what has happened," Sheriff Ballard answered, positively. "Someone is bound to see something eventually."

All three of them nodded. They were one step closer to finding Sam and Cody, but still so very far away.

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**A/N:** What do you think? The next chapter will up, probably by next Saturday. Please review! :D


	16. Rape and Murder

**A/N: **It's a little bit later than I said it would be, but this chapter was actually hard to write. I apologize that it's so short, the next chapter will be longer. :)

* * *

**Chapter Sixteen**

**Written by: TheEquestrianWriter**

They didn't escape. Sam didn't even know how she got from the van to here. Everything was still a bit hazy. But here was a dark hotel room and she lay on a bed with her arms stretched above her head. When Sam looked, she saw that her hands were bound to the headboard. She tried to suppress a whimper as she uselessly jerked against the ropes.

Sam looked around the small, dark room. She was alone, that much she knew. "Help!" she screamed, hoping someone will hear her. "Someone help me!" Sam listened for a moment, but no one came. She, then, started to kick and twist her body, struggling against the ropes. The bed shook and the headboard banged against the wall, but the ropes didn't loosen.

Suddenly, Sam heard footsteps from out in the hall. "I'm in here! Please help me!" she yelled again, her heartbeat quickening at the prospect of getting out of here. There was a sound of a struggle and then a gunshot. The door opened slowly after that, and then two figures stumbled into the room.

One figure pushed the other one down into the chair at the foot of the bed and then, the lights flickered on. Sam was staring Jake. He had blood gushing from a wound in his left leg, which was probably why he didn't fight as hard as Caleb chained him to the chair. Jake looked to meet Sam's gaze and mouthed _I'm sorry_ to her. Sam furrowed her eyebrows, what did that mean? That he couldn't save her or one of them wasn't going to make it out of here alive?

"Here we are, together again," Caleb said as he locked the door and walked over to draw the curtains closed. He turned to face Sam. "No more screaming, Sammy. It will do you no good."

He walked slowly toward the bed and set the gun he'd been holding on the bedside table. "No one is going to come," Caleb explained. "You see, I paid off the owner of this hotel, with a rather large sum of money. He has assured me that we will not be bothered, it's not like that many guests come here as it is. We have the whole floor to ourselves."

"What do you want?" Sam dared to ask.

Caleb laughed, but once he sobered up, he stared Sam straight in the eye as he said, "You."

Sam shivered involuntary and she heard Jake jerk against his chains. Sam refused to be scared, she couldn't let Caleb have the upper hand, even thought, technically, he already did. She lifted her chin and leveled her gaze with his.

"You're not going to get away with this," Sam told him, hoping her voice came off much stronger than she felt.

Caleb chuckled as he kneeled on the bed. "Darling, I already have," he said and he started to unbutton his shirt. "And I'm ready to take my prize."

Sam shrank away from him and Jake struggled more furiously against his restraints. "Don't touch her." Jake growled at Caleb. Sam glanced at Jake and saw his teeth were gritted, but his face was pale. He had to be in pain from the gunshot wound.

"Shh, boy," Caleb shushed Jake, without looking at him. "You're to be a silent observer only."

That made Jake struggle harder. Sam's heartbeat was so loud, she could barely hear anything else. Caleb crept closer, like a predator stalking his prey, and Sam squeezed her eyes shut. This wasn't happening; she was going to wake up any minute in her own bed, safe and sound. But then, Caleb put his hand on her waist, squeezing tightly, and Sam knew it was real. She started to kick him to keep him at bay, but he backhanded her across the face. Then, she twisted her upper body away from him. Caleb grabbed her by the shoulders and twisted her back around to face him, her arms screaming out in pain.

Over Caleb's shoulder, Sam caught Jake's gaze. His eyes were full of a rage she had never seen before. Jake strained against his restraints, desperate to get free. Caleb's lips were on her skin now and he tore at her clothing. Sam pulled her gaze away from Jake, unable to look at him any longer. She squirmed underneath Caleb, but he kept her pinned to the mattress.

Sam choked back a sob as she pleaded, "Please no."

Caleb pushed her hair back from her face and she flinched at his touch. "Sorry, love, this has to happen," he told her. "You and your father will pay for you've done to me." With that, Caleb lowered himself back on top of her.

**/X/**

Time had slipped by Sam; she didn't know how long she lay curled up in one corner of the bed or when someone had untied her hands from the headboard. Her body was numb and shaking, but she didn't feel cold. She couldn't feel anything, like her body was on the verge of shutting down. The thought should have scared her, but her mind had turned off too. Nothing was registering to her. Sam gripped the edge of the mattress and pressed her face into the cool sheet.

Voices were starting to come back to Sam. Angry voices. Yelling voices. Sam sunk deeper into the mattress, wanting to escape the voices.

"You sick bastard," the first voice growled. It was familiar to Sam, but she couldn't place it. The voice was followed by the rattle of chains. "Was this your plan all along? To take an innocent girl away from her family and break her until she's nothing?"

The mattress springs creaked as someone got up off the bed and then there was another voice. "No, of course not," This one was much harsher than the first. "I didn't plan on losing my wife. I told her there would be consequences, and she chose to ignore me."

The first voice didn't respond; Sam didn't look up to see what was going on. She kept her face pressed into the bed and curled herself even tighter. The sound of chains were still audible in her ears and she shivered at the thought that they were meant for her.

"Wyatt was just the same, too," the second voice continued. "He could have given me back my wife and none of this would have happened. Instead, he thought he could have it all. But I got news for Wyatt, he can't. All he'll have is a broken daughter, a lost son, and two wives who will blame him fro what's happened to their children." He finished with a laugh.

Suddenly, there was a loud, splintering and breaking sound and then what sounded like a fight break out. A part of Sam wanted to look to see what was going on, but she couldn't tell her body to move. There was a lot of banging and grunting, then as fast as it started, the fight was over. The silence that followed stretched long and the tension was palpable. It ended with a loud explosion of a gunshot. Sam pressed her hands over her ears, an attempt to block out the sound, and screamed.

Sam lay unmoving for a long while until the mattress springs creaked as someone leaped over the bed toward her. "Sam," the familiar voice from before said. A hand touched her arm, a chain sliding down her back. She flinched away from it and the hand withdrew.

"Sam, it's me, Jake," the voice replied.

Hesitantly, Sam turned her head to look at him. Jake leaned over her, his brown eyes full of concern. He had a cut running from one corner of his mouth to this jaw. "Jake?" she croaked out. Jake nodded, but he didn't move, until Sam reached out to him. Jake pulled her to him, and wrapped her in his arms. Sam sobbed and shook in his arms.

"I'm sorry, Sam," Jake whispered into her hair. "I am so sorry."

They stayed like that until Sam had quieted down. Jake helped Sam into her jeans, but her shirt was completely torn. So, Jake stood up and stripped off his own shirt to give to her. Sam eyed the bloodstain he left behind on the bedspread. She followed it to Jake's left leg, where blood streamed down from a gunshot wound in his thigh.

"You're bleeding," Sam murmured, but Jake either didn't hear her or he was purposely not saying anything. He just helped her into his shirt and then limped over to the door. Sam sat on the bed while Jake checked the hallway.

Sam looked behind her and saw a limp, prone form lying on the floor on the other side of the bed. Caleb. Blood flowed through a hole in his chest. A scream tore from her throat and she threw herself to the floor.

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**A/N: ** How was it? I'm sorry again that it's so short, but you're lucky because I was going to leave it with a huge cliffhanger before I changed my mind. Please review! :)


	17. Cody's Still Missing

**A/N:** I'm a few days late with this chapter, but it's longer than the others have been, so I think that makes up for it. Enjoy. Song lyrics are Safe and Sound by Taylor Swift and the Civil Wars and Wherever You Will Go by The Calling.

* * *

**Chapter Seventeen**

Sam and Jake were sitting in the hallway just outside the hotel room. Caleb had been right; there was no one else in the hotel. Jake only made it to the end of the hallway, leaving a trail of blood in his wake, yelling for anybody. By the time he came back, Sam was cowering outside the door, unable to go back in. Having discovered they were in a hotel in Reno, Jake had called for an ambulance on the hotel phone. After that, he hadn't had the strength to stand any longer and collapsed to the hallway floor. Sam had crawled over to him and he wrapped his arms around her.

Now, they leaned on each other as they waited for the ambulance. Sam lifted her head from Jake's shoulder, when she felt his arms slacken from around her. "Jake?" Sam whispered, looking at him. His eyes were half-closed and his head lulled to the side. His skin was pale and he had a light sheen of sweat on his forehead.

"Jake!" Sam cried, shaking his shoulder.

Jake's eyes flicked open and glanced at her. "'S okay," he muttered incoherently. His eyes slid closed again and Sam panicked. She looked around for anything to bind his wound with. When she found nothing, Sam ripped a piece of cloth from the bottom of Jake's t-shirt she was wearing. She moved to Jake's left leg and started to wrap the cloth around the wound. Jake jerked hard and groaned when she pulled it tight, but Sam was glad. It meant that he was still with her. Afterwards, Sam pulled Jake into her lap and put her head down next to his.

"Please don't leave me," she whispered in his ear.

_I remember tears streaming down your face,_

_When I said, I'll never let you go_

_When all those shadows almost killed your light_

_I remember you said, don't leave me alone_

_But all that's dead and gone and passed...tonight_

Five minutes later, Sam heard the faint roar of sirens and then the ding of the elevator. Footsteps ran toward her along with the sound of a stretcher being pushed. Sam didn't move until she felt a hand on her shoulder. She flinched away from it and looked up.

A woman in her early thirties, with mocha-colored hair was kneeling in front of her. "Are you hurt?" she asked Sam.

Sam just stared at her, unsure of how to answer. Another paramedic kneeled down next to Jake and started assessing the damage to his leg. Sam watched him, her grip on Jake tightening. Meanwhile, the female paramedic was still trying to talk to her.

"What's your name?" she was asking. "Do you know what happened here?"

Sam opened her mouth, but shook her head when no words came out. "Sam..." she managed to say in a hoarse whisper.

"Hello, Sam, I'm Julia," she smiled. "Can you stand?"

Sam gripped Jake even harder, not wanting to leave him. Before she could answer though, the paramedic working on Jake turned to a third one. "Get that stretcher over here!" he told him. "He's lost a lot of blood." Together, the two male paramedics started to lift Jake up onto the stretcher.

"Noo!" Sam screamed, pulling Jake toward her. All three paramedics stopped and stared at her, startled by her outburst. "Don't take him!" Sam wrapped her arms around him, holding him against her.

"They're just trying to help him, Sam," Julia assured her. "He's been hurt badly, he needs medical help." She look at the other two paramedics worryingly.

"You can't take him away from me," Sam mumbled. She sniffed. "Don't take him away from me."

"Sam. Sam, look at me," Julia said. Finally, Sam looked at her, her eyes wet with tears. "He needs help. We can help him, if you let us." Sam stared at Julia and her arms loosened from around Jake. Two other paramedics took the advantage and lifted Jake onto the stretcher. As they started to wheel him away, Sam lunged toward the stretcher.

"No, please, no! Don't take him away!" Sam cried, reaching out as if trying to grab a hold of the stretcher. Julia caught her before she could get that far and the other paramedics kept pushing Jake toward the elevator. "Please, come back! Come back!"

"Calm down, just calm down," Julia was saying. She held Sam against the floor as she continued to thrash about, trying to get to Jake.

"Please let me go!" Sam begged.

"Just calm down," Julia soothed. Then, Sam felt a sharp prick on the side of her neck and her whole body started to go numb. Sam fought the sleepy feeling that came over her, needing to get away from here and to Jake. She cried out Jake's name as her body went limp and everything faded to black.

_Just close your eyes_

_The sun is going down_

_You'll be alright, no one can hurt you now_

**/X/**

"_Come morning light, you and I will be_

_Safe and Sound."_

Sylvie stood by the window of the apartment looking out at the San Francisco night. She was holding Cody in her arms and was singing softly to him. The one-year-old was having a hard time going to sleep and Sylvie was trying anything. She looked down at the little boy in her arms, his head resting on her shoulder, he had finally fallen asleep. Sylvie turned her head slightly when she heard soft footsteps enter the living room.

Corey walked toward her clad in only a towel that hung low on his hips and his blonde hair was still damp from the shower. "I see he finally went to sleep," he whispered. Sylvie nodded. Corey gave her a quick kiss on the lips.

"I should get him to bed before he wakes up," Sylvie said. "Or you'll be the one putting him back to sleep."

Corey grinned. "Okay, go." He sent Sylvie off and went to their bedroom. He pulled open his dresser drawers and pulled out a pair of boxers and black sweatpants. After pulling them on, his eyes glanced at something nestled among his socks. It was a small, white bracelet, but when he picked it up, he could feel the fine, soft hairs it was made of and it glinted silver in the light. He had found it down in the tunnels, it must belong to Samantha. It seemed like something she would wear.

Suddenly, a pair of arms slipped around his waist. "What's that?" Sylvie asked, peering around him at the bracelet. Corey jumped a little, he hadn't even heard her come in. He quickly dropped the bracelet into his pocket and turned in Sylvie's arms. His hands rested lightly on her hips.

"Nothing," Corey said, hoping she wouldn't press further.

Sylvie grinned. "It wasn't nothing. I saw it, it was like some kind of bracelet." She thrusted her hand into his pocket and, before he could stop her, she pulled the bracelet out. "Oh my god, what is it?" Sylvie held the bracelet up, admiring it. Corey tried to reach for it again, but Sylvie walked away, holding the bracelet away from him.

"What do you think it's made of?" Sylvie asked. "It's got to be some kind of animal hair, right?"

"I don't know," Corey said, holding his hand out. "Can I have it back, please?"

"Why?" Sylvie asked him, giving him a sly look. "If you want it, come and get it." She held the bracelet at bay and danced away from him. Corey lunged for her, but Sylvie was quicker. She jumped on the bed and landed on the other side, laughing the whole time. Sylvie raised the bracelet triumphantly over her head and then slipped the bracelet over her wrist.

"Dammit, Sylvie, take that off! It's not yours!" Corey snapped. Sylvie lowered her arm, the laughter dying on her lips. Corey instantly regretted yelling at her, but before he could apologize to her, crying started from down the hall.

"I should get him," Sylvie muttered, walking to the door. As she passed him, Sylvie shoved the bracelet into Corey's hands.

After she left, Corey sighed and plopped down on the end of the bed. He ran a hand through his hair. The last few days were nothing but stress, but she shouldn't have yelled Sylvie like that. It wasn't her fault. He was the one who went along with Caleb to kidnap a young girl, only because he promised them a baby, who needed to be adopted. It would be a fast and easy adoption, Caleb had told them. They just had to do one thing for him. Corey hadn't wanted Sylvie involved, so he went alone.

Corey opened his hand and stared at the silver bracelet. He couldn't help but think of Samantha when he looked at it. The last time Corey saw her, he'd hurt her and had delivered her to Caleb's waiting van. Caleb had told him, he wanted to get know his daughter, but that didn't give him the right to kidnap her and treat her like a prisoner, did it?

From the corner of his eye, Corey saw Sylvie enter the room, her tan, bare legs passing him. She didn't say anything to him as she climbed into bed. Finally, Corey stood up and faced her, unable to take the silence any longer.

"I'm sorry," he burst out without preamble.

"It's okay," Sylvie mumbled, taking off her necklace. She put it down on the bedside table and looked up at him. "Stress comes with having a new baby."

"No, I shouldn't have yelled at you, period." Corey said. He held up the silver bracelet. "This belongs to Sam- Caleb's daughter. Sylvie, I did something awful."

Worry lines creased in Sylvie's forehead, as he waited for him to continue.

"I kidnapped her," Corey managed to keep his voice low. He would have shouted it, but he didn't want to wake up Cody again.

Sylvie furrowed her brows. "Kidnapped who? What are you talking about?" she asked him.

"Sam," Corey elaborated. "I kidnapped her. I took her from her home, away from her family, and brought her to Caleb."

Sylvie sucked in a breath and sat up straighter. "He had you kidnap his own daughter?" she questioned. She shook her head. "That doesn't make any sense. Why?"

Corey shrugged. "I don't know," he confessed. "Caleb barely told me anything. Sylvie, he treated her like a prisoner down in those tunnels and she was literally terrified of him."

"Well, Caleb always had his own way of doing things. My dad was always saying how eccentric he was." Sylvie said. "I'm not saying what he did was right, but he is her father. I'm sure everything will turn out right in the end. But in the mean time, you should send that back to Sam. She'll be glad to have it back."

"I will," Corey nodded. He set the bracelet down on the dresser for now and walked over to the bed. "How did I get so lucky to marry such an amazing woman like you?" He leaned on the bed toward her.

"Oh, come on, that's not true," Sylvie replied, modestly, looking down. A blush creeped along her tan skin. Corey put a hand under her chin and lifted it, so that her brown eyes met his blue ones.

"You are to me," Corey whispered to her. Then, he pressed his lips to hers. The kiss started off soft and slow, but quickly became heated. "I love you."

"I love you, too," Sylvie smiled, breathlessly. She pulled him back on top of her and they kissed passionately. Corey pushed her tank top up her stomach, his fingers tracing circles on her skin. While Sylvie's fingernails raked up his back.

They stayed locked in their embrace long into the night until exhaustion finally took them. Corey pulled Sylvie to him, breathing in her scent of honey and cinnamon. No matter what life threw at her, Sylvie always believed something good would come out of it. Corey promised he would make it up to Sam, starting with her bracelet. He would send it back to her tomorrow, one small step towards making amends. Corey closed his eyes and let his mind drift off to sleep.

**/X/**

_So, lately, been wondering_

_Who will be there to take by place?_

Sam awoke to bright lights, the whirring of machines, and the hustle bustle of people moving to and fro. She squinted against the harsh light and saw a shadow hovering above her. A whimper escaped her throat as she tried to move away on the small, uncomfortable bed she was lying on.

"Oh, good, you're awake," the shadow spoke to her. Her eyes were beginning to adjust and she could make out a petite woman in purple scrubs, her long blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail.

"Where am I?" Sam croaked out, her body tense. She struggled to sit up on the gurney. She was in a small room, surrounded by a blue, plastic curtain. "What did you do to me?"

"You're in the hospital. You were hysterical when the paramedics found you, they a gave you a light sedative." the woman told her.

_When I'm gone, you'll need love_

_To light the shadows on your face_

Hysterical? She was hysterical? She could barely remember what happened after... after what Caleb did to her. There was just snatches of memory. Pain. Blood. Lots of blood. And then, there was Jake. The last she saw him, he was unconscious and had lost a lot of blood. She had to find him. Sam started to get up, when the curtain burst open, startling the nurse who had been attempting to stop Sam. She stared at the new woman, thinking she was dreaming, but then she spoke.

"Sammy! You're okay!"

"Mom?" Somewhere inside, Sam knew she shouldn't be surprised to see her mother standing in front of her, but after so many years of not having her mother there, it was still a shock.

"I'm here, honey," Louise said, coming to stand next to her and pushing her hand through Sam's hair. "Your dad and Brynna are here too, only one of us were allowed in to see you."

"And Jake?" Sam asked. But before Louise could answer, the curtain opened again and this time a middle-age doctor walked in. He had dark hair that was graying around the edges and an easy smile on his face.

_If a great wave shall fall,_

_And fall upon us all_

_Then between the sand and stone,_

_Could you make it on your own?_

"No," Sam gasped, shrinking back on the gurney until her back hit the wall. Louise stared at her daughter.

"Sam-" she started to say.

"Hey, Samantha," the doctor interrupted. "Good to see you awake. I'm Dr. Collins. I'm just going to check you over and if everything is alright, you'll be able to leave."

"No, stay away from me," Sam told him.

Louise looked at her in confusion. "Sam, he just wants to help you," she assured her daughter. She took her hand.

Sam shook her head. "Mom, please don't let him near me!" Sam begged, gripping her mother's hand with both of hers. "I don't want him here!" Louise looked at Dr. Collins with a worried expression.

"Sam, I'm not going to hurt you," Dr. Collins tried. "Just let me check you, okay, and then you can go home."

"No!" Sam cried. She turned toward her mother. "I want Jake! You have to find him, he was hurt bad. Please, you have to go find him!"

"Jake is here in the hospital, Sam, the doctors are working on him," Louise told her, holding Sam by her shoulders.

"I can get another doctor to look at her," Dr. Collins suggested, backing away toward the opening in the curtain.

Louise nodded. "I think that would be for the best," she said.

Dr. Collins turned to the nurse, who was still in the cubicle. "Nurse, will you page Dr. Edwards and tell her, we need her down here." The nurse nodded and hurried through the curtain.

"Sam, would you like me to leave?" Dr. Collins asked her. Sam didn't answer; she stared at him, her back still pressed to the wall. Taking that as his answer, Dr. Collins nodded to Louise and left the two of them alone.

When the doctor had gone, Louise turned to her daughter. "Sam. Sammy," she said. When Sam finally looked at her, Louise continued, "Can you tell me what happened? What did Caleb do to you?"

_If I could, then I would_

_I'll go wherever you will go_

_Way up high or down low_

_I'll go wherever you will go_

Flashes of images zoomed across Sam's vision. The abandoned house. The tunnels. Jake. The kiss. The van. Hotel room. Gunshot. Caleb's hands on her. Another gunshot. Blood. Sam shook her head furiously and the images fell apart as tears leaked out of her eyes. She stared at her mother through blurred vision and uttered only one word.

"Jake,"

**/X/**

_And maybe, I'll find out_

_A way to make it back some day_

"This is ridicules," Jake muttered as his mother pushed him down the hallway of the Reno hospital in a wheelchair. "I can walk on my own."

"Hospital policy, Jacob Ely," Maxine told him. "It's the wheelchair or you stay overnight."

Jake grunted. The doctors had suggested he stay overnight just to make sure infection didn't set in, Jake hadn't gone for it then either. The bullet had been successfully removed, after he'd been give a blood transfusion, four hours later, Jake was ready to go home. He had insisted on wearing his ripped and bloodied jeans and the nurses had given him a green scrubs shirt to put on.

_To watch you, to guide you_

_Through the darkest of your days_

As they entered the crowded E.R., Jake craned his neck, searching for Sam. He saw Wyatt and Brynna sitting in two hard, plastic hospital chairs. Wyatt had his head in his hands, both of them had their backs to him, so they hadn't seen him yet. Suddenly, there was a loud, panicked cry from one of the closed-off cubicles. The sound reverberated through Jake, so that he felt it deep in his soul. It was Sam.

_If a great wave shall fall,_

_And fall upon us all_

_Well, then, I hope there's someone out there who,_

_Can bring me back to you_

Wyatt and Brynna knew it too; they jumped up and ran toward one of the cubicles, hovering just outside. There was another cry, followed by his name. Jake didn't waste another second, he leaped up from the wheelchair, ignoring the dull pain in his left leg, and ran towards the cubicle and Sam.

Jake started to pull open the curtain when he heard the elevator ding. Then, two sets of heavy footsteps were approaching them. Jake turned and saw two police officers, their faces set and a pair of gleaming handcuffs in one of their hands. His heart sped up, he knew what was coming. He backed up closer to the curtain.

_I know now, just quite how_

_My life and love might still go on_

Seeing his movement, the first officer rushed him, wrenching his arms behind his back before he could move again. "Jacob Ely," the officer boomed. "You're under arrest for the murder of Caleb Sawyer."

_In your heart, in your mind_

_I'll stay with you, for all of time_

Jake didn't resist as the police officers dragged him away. His gaze never left the closed curtain, where Sam sat alone and terrified. Her frantic voice kept calling to him, wanting him to come. With each step he took away from Sam, Jake could feel himself losing her.

_I'm sorry, Sam._

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**A/N: **Well, how was it? The next chapter will be up, hopefully, some time next week, maybe sooner. Please review, it makes me write faster. :)


	18. Sam and Jake

**A/N: **This chapter is a little late because I just couldn't write it for some reason. I have no idea why. Anyway, I just wanted to let you guys know there are only four more chapters after this one left. I want to thank everybody who keeps reading and reviewing this story. It means so much to me that so many people like what I write. I specifically want to say thanks to;

anyaandsoloman97

KatieTheCreeper

Opal

Golden Immortality(no I'm not thanking myself)

Iheartninjago2010

BlackPetals23

There are many more of you, but those are just some of whom I've come to expect reviews from. Thank you to everybody who reads/reviews this story. Now, I'll stop blabbing and you can just read the chapter.

* * *

**Chapter Eighteen**

**Written by: TheEquestianWriter**

The seconds ticked slowly by on the wall clock in the gray interrogation room of the Reno police department. Jake drummed his fingers on the metal tabletop, blowing out a long sigh. He had spent the night in lockup and an officer had brought him to this room in the morning. He hadn't said much since he was processed into the system. The police were frustrated with his silence and Jake couldn't help but grin at the thought.

He shouldn't be here. He didn't _murder_ anyone. Caleb had kidnapped both Sam and Cody and...raped...Sam. Jake hadn't come away unscathed either, he had the gunshot wound to prove it. His thoughts turned to Sam and how she was doing. Being back home was probably helping her, being around her family and everybody who loves her. She didn't need him, she was strong.

The heavy metal door made a scraping sound on the floor as it opened. Jake looked up and saw a man in his late-thirties come into the room. He wore black slacks and a pressed, light blue, oxford shirt. He pulled out the chair across from Jake and sat down. Jake stared at the manila folder he placed on the table in front of him. He opened the folder and started looking through the papers inside, whistling softly to himself. Jake glared at him, wishing he would stop making that inane sound.

Finally, he looked up at Jake. "I'm Detective Bower," he introduced himself. "I will be overseeing your case."

"You were found at the scene of the crime with the alleged murder weapon, the dead body, and a distraught Samantha Forster," Detective Bower went on to say. "Your fingerprints were also found on the gun. Do you have anything to say for yourself?"

"I have nothing to say to you," Jake said, gruffly.

"I would reconsider that," Detective Bower advised. "We have sufficient evidence to try this case as a first-degree murder."

Jake didn't say anything.

Detective Bower leafed through some more pages and then looked back up. "We're well aware that the deceased had kidnapped two minors, including Ms. Forster, but how did you come to be in that hotel. Did you decide to take the law into your own hands?"

Jake glared at him, not taking the bait. At that moment, the heavy, metal door opened again. Jake glanced up and saw a woman about his parents' age come in. Her brown hair was pulled back away from her face and she wore a red suit, and a black, leather bag slung over her shoulder.

"Detective, I hope you're not bullying my client without the benefit of council present," she said, a hand on her hip.

Detective Bower turned slowly around to look at her. When he saw her, he sighed and stood up to face her. "I'm just asking Mr. Ely a few harmless questions." he explained. He glanced back at Jake. "I wanted to give him a chance to tell me what really happened in that hotel room."

"Thank you, but I would like a word with my client now," the woman said. Detective Bower stared at her for a minute and then he picked up the folder from the table.

"Good luck getting him to talk," Detective Bower replied on his way out. The door slammed behind him, leaving Jake and the woman alone in the room.

The woman sat down in the chair the detective vacated, placing her bag on the floor next to the chair. She smiled at him. "Jacob Ely, my name is Carmen Johannes. I'll be representing you in this case." she introduced herself. "I've know your parents for over fifteen years."

"Jake," Jake muttered.

"Okay, Jake," Carmen started. "The district attorney wants to try this case as a first-degree murder case, but all the evidence they have is circumstantial. Why don't you tell me what happened?"

Jake shifted in his chair, avoiding the lawyer's gaze.

"Okay, let's start at the beginning," Carmen tried again. She reached down into her bag and placed a tape recorder down on the table, after pressing a button on it. "The Dalton police department said they tracked Caleb to an abandoned house in Dalton, but they quickly lost him. A day later, your family reported you missing. Did you go to the abandoned house?"

Jake hesitated and then nodded. "Yes," he hesitated again and then explained, "There was a trapdoor under the staircase. It led down to some tunnels."

"Is that where Caleb was hiding with the kids?" Carmen asked him.

Jake nodded again. "Except Cody, he wasn't there," he added.

There was a long pause and Jake fiddled with the handcuff circling his right wrist. It attached him to the table. The memories of that night were coming back to him one by one and he wished they would stay away. He just wanted to move on from that night and never think about it again. But as long as he was locked up, the police were going to keep dredging it back up. Jake sighed.

"Let's move on to the hotel, how did you get there?" Carmen broke the silence, seeing Jake's hesitation.

Jake licked his lips and started. "Caleb had me chained up when he dragged me up to the room. He had paid off the hotel owner, so that he would have the place to himself." he said. "When I got there, Sam was already tied to the bed."

Carmen stayed silent, letting Jake say what he needed.

"He shoved me into a chair, facing the bed," Jake tried to keep his voice steady, but he felt himself losing. He blinked to get rid of the images that came with talking about it. "He was taunting us. And then, he climbed onto the bed with Sam. He started to...I tried..." Jake shook his head, unable to finish. He turned his face away from the lawyer.

Carmen leaned forward, putting her hand over Jake's, the one that lay flat on the table. "Jake, did Caleb rape Sam?" she asked him gently.

Jake looked up at her, his eyes full of guilt and remorse. He gave a small nod of his head, "Yes."

**/X/**

Sam sat on her bed, staring out the window at the horses milling around the ten-acre pasture. It had been late when they got back, but that didn't stop Ace from whinnying to her from the barn corral, where he was recuperating from the gunshot wound. Sam had wanted to run to her gelding and throw her arms around his neck, but her family had ushered her inside the house before she had the chance. They'd kept asking her if she was hungry, but she'd just wanted to go to bed. She'd curled up under the covers and wished Jake was here.

When she woke up this morning, Jake was still not here. She was worried. Nobody would tell her where he was or even if was okay? What if there were complications and Jake hadn't survived? But surely someone would tell her if Jake had died, right? Sam had to find out.

Sam glanced at her bedroom door. If she stepped one foot outside the door, she'll be bombarded with questions and concerns. Brynna made a point of coming in every half hour with some food or drink, asking how she was, really she just wanted to know if Sam remembered where Caleb had taken Cody. The police still didn't have any new leads on the baby. Sam sighed, she didn't want to deal with them right now.

Standing up, Sam went to her window and opened it all the way. She looked out; her bedroom was on the first floor making it easy to climb out. Sam sat on the windowsill and swung one leg outside when there was a soft knock on the door. She stared at the door, debating whether or not to slip out the window before whoever it was came in.

"Sam, it's me, Jen," the voice on the other side of the door said.

Sam breathed a sigh of relief, at least it wasn't Brynna. "You can come in." she told her best friend, pulling her leg back inside and standing up.

The door opened slowly and Jen appeared wearing pink cargo pants and a yellow and pink flowered shirt. As soon as she saw Sam, Jen ran over to her and threw her arms around her. Sam gave into the hug, gratefully.

"I'm so glad your okay," Jen said. "I was so worried."

Sam didn't say anything as they pulled apart. Jen looked her up and down. She was still wearing Jake's shirt, but she'd pulled on a pair of soft, cotton shorts instead of her jeans and her feet were bare.

"I brought Silly with me," Jen supplied. "I thought, maybe, we could go for a ride, get your mind off of everything."

Sam turned to the window and reached up to close it. "Ace is still hurt," she muttered. The window slammed closed.

Jen jumped a bit at the sound. "I know," she stated. "I thought you could ride Strawberry or another horse."

"Maybe later," Sam muttered again, staring out the window.

"Okay, what's wrong?" Jen asked suddenly.

Sam turned to face her. "Nothing," she shrugged.

"Don't lie to me," Jen told her. "It's not nothing. You said no to a ride, you won't look at me, and you're slumped over like you're hurt. Sam, I know you, something's wrong." She gasped just then. "Did Caleb hurt you?"

Sam started to shake her head, but tears filled her vision. She collapsed down on her bed, tears streaming down her face. She tried to brush them away, but more just came as she looked up at Jen. "He touched me." she managed to say.

"Oh, Sam," Jen sat down on the bed next to her best friend. "Caleb touched you? Did he...I mean...was there more?"

"He raped me," Sam admitted, her voice got quieter at the end and she looked down ashamed.

"Sam, I'm so sorry," Jen said, tears filling her own eyes, but she blinked them back. She pulled Sam into another hug. "If there's anything I can do for you, just ask."

"You can get me Jake," Sam whispered into her friend's shoulder.

Jen pulled back, confused. "What?"

"I want Jake," Sam replied. "Can you please go tell him, I need him? Please?"

"Sam-" Jen started to shake her head.

"No, you have to!" Sam interrupted her, desperation was rising in her voice. She hated the helpless feeling that was creeping over her, but she couldn't help it. "Please! No one will tell me where he is. Something must have happened or he'll be here with me right now. Please Jen, you have to do this for me!"

"Sam, I can't," Jen told her.

"What not?" Sam asked. Now it was her turn to be confused. "All you have to do is tell him, I need him and he'll come."

"Jake can't come, Sam," Jen answered, trying to be gentle. Sam stared at her, eyes wide with unshed tears. Jen took a deep breath and continued, "Because he's been arrested."

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**A/N: **What do you think? Please review!


	19. Sylvie Roberts

**A/N:** I'm really sorry this chapter is so late. I don't know what happened, I kept getting distracted away from the chapter. I'm really trying to finish this story and I don't mean to always keep you guys waiting long. I hope you all like it. :)

* * *

**Chapter Nineteen**

Sam peered out her bedroom door, searching to see if the coast was clear. Jen had left a few hours ago and soon after that, the police had called saying they knew where Cody was. Her father and Brynna had left to go with them, leaving her with Gram and her mother. She figured this was a good time to sneak to the Reno police department to see Jake. Sam needed to see him, it was her fault he was in police custody.

The house was silent and still. There were no sounds of movement coming from the kitchen and Sam hoped she would get away without being seen. She crept down the hallway into the kitchen, it was empty. Breathing a huge sigh of relief, Sam crossed to the front door and slipped on her sneakers. Sam thought she was home free until she heard footsteps approach the kitchen. She froze.

"Sam! It's so good to see you up and about," Louise said, setting an empty mug down on the counter. "I was just going to ask if you wanted anything."

"I'm good," Sam replied, putting a hand on the doorknob.

"Were you going to see Ace?" Louise asked her. "I'll go with you. Anything to get out of this house."

Sam didn't say anything as they went outside and started walking to the barn corral. Ace was scratching his mane on the fence rail when they approached, but stopped when he saw them. He nickered to Sam and put his head over the fence. The sound sent a flutter through her chest and she couldn't help but smile. Sam went over to the gelding and took his muzzle in her hands, kissing it.

"I missed you, boy," Sam murmured. Ace blew in his face and snuffled her hair.

"He's a nice horse," Louise complimented, patting Ace's neck.

"Dad picked him out for me," Sam said quietly. She rubbed the gelding's muzzle and looked up at her mother.

"You've grown up beautifully, Sam," Louise told her daughter and then her eyes started to mist over with tears. "I'm sorry I wasn't there for you."

Sam shook her head defiantly, tears spilling over her cheeks. "Mom, no, it's not your fault." she replied.

Seeing her daughter's tears, Louise wrapped her arms around her. "I didn't mean to make you cry." she consoled. "I'm here now, everything's going to be okay"

"No, it's not okay!" Sam cried. "It's never going to be okay again!"

Louise pulled back to look at her daughter. "Sam, what are you talking about?"

Sam hiccuped and wiped the tears from her face. "Caleb raped me." she confessed. Louise gasped and enveloped Sam in her arms again, holding her tight against herself. Sam buried her face in her mother's shoulder, breathing in her comforting scent of wildflowers. Through her tears, Sam thought she heard her mother murmur something like _my baby._

Finally, Sam pulled back, her eyes dry of tears. "Mom, can you take me to see Jake?" she asked, and before her mother could say anything, she rushed on. "I know he's in jail and it's my fault he's there. But, mom, I need to see him. Jake was the one who found me and he was there for me after Caleb... you know. I need to be there for him, please."

Louise stared at her for so long that Sam was afraid she'd drag her back inside and call the hospital. But then, Louise put her hands on her shoulders and looked her in the eye. "Sam, what Caleb did to you does not reflect who you are. You are a strong, confident, and caring, young woman. Most importantly, you are my daughter and I know you can get through this."

Sam looked down at the ground, shame creeping along her features. She felt like she'd lost the girl her mother was describing and instead, there was this strange, scared and fragile girl in her place. Sam felt her mother put her hand under her chin and lifted it until her eyes met her mother's.

"I love you, Sam, nothing is ever going to change that." Louise told her daughter, and then she added, "Let's go see Jake."

**/X/**

Brynna stared out the window of the airplane, her hands clasped together in her lap. They were en route to San Francisco, where Sylvie Roberts was staying with her husband and 'son'. The police hadn't talked to her yet, but they had talked to her husband, Corey Roberts. He had confirmed that they knew Caleb, who had set them up with a private adoption for a baby boy. Corey had been cooperative while answering the police's questions and had seemed generally shocked to learn that Cody had been kidnapped. He had hesitantly given them his address to his apartment, saying they'll be there when the police arrived.

Sheriff Ballard had insisted Brynna and Wyatt go, along with two other police officers. Of course, they hadn't argued, nothing was going to stop Brynna from getting her son back. The sheriff had called ahead to the San Francisco police department, explaining the situation and requested backup. He was quick to reassure them that it was just a precaution and he wasn't expecting any trouble. That Corey and Sylvie seemed like nice, honest people, who were just wrongly taken advantaged of. Brynna had tried to believe him, but she wouldn't feel better until her son was in her arms.

Brynna jumped a little bit when Wyatt took her hand and squeezed it. "We're going to get our son back," he told her.

She nodded and tried to smile at him, but it probably came out like more of a grimace. The sick feeling in the pit of her stomach wasn't going away, telling her things weren't going to be that easy.

**/X/**

Sam stepped inside the gray, rectangular room. There was a long, metal table across the center of the room, with a glass partition dividing the room in half. The other side looked exactly the same as this side, but empty.

"Have a seat," the police officer behind Sam told her. "Another officer is bringing him up now. Use the phone to communicate. You'll have a half hour."

Sam walked toward the chairs that sat in front of the table as the police officer left the room, closing the door behind him. A second later, the door on the other side opened and two people walked in. One was a police officer and the other was limping and wore a navy-blue jumpsuit and his blue-black hair hung loose around his face. Jake.

He froze in his tracks when he saw Sam on the opposite side of the glass. The guard pushed him forward and Jake stumbled into the chair facing Sam. Sam stared at Jake while the guard uncuffed one of Jake's hands and hooked the other end of the handcuff to the metal ring on the table. The guard said something to Jake, motioning toward the phone. He glanced once at Sam and then stalked to the door.

Slowly, Sam picked up the receiver and put it to her ear. Jake did the same. "Sam, what are you doing here?" came his deep, familiar voice.

Sam opened her mouth and then closed it when no words came out. She tried again. "I- I wanted to see you," she started lamely. "Nobody would tell me where you were or even if you were okay. I was worried."

"You shouldn't be," Jake said, shifting in his seat. "You shouldn't be here either."

"But I needed to see you," Sam protested, not liking the walls he was building around himself. "I mean, it's my fault your in here. If I had just fought harder, then you wouldn't have had to-"

"No!" Jake interrupted, almost shouting. "Don't say that, don't even think it. What Caleb did to you was not your fault. You did nothing wrong."

"Exactly," Sam hissed, leaning forward. She felt a little self-satisfaction when Jake reacted the way she thought he would. "Caleb _raped _me. He raped _me._ I was the victim, not you. Stop sulking and start fighting these charges. Caleb already took away so much from us, let's not give him anymore of our time together."

"But I couldn't protect you," Jake said quietly. "I failed you."

"No, you haven't, not unless you start fighting these charges," Sam told him gently. "If it weren't you, I would still be in that hotel room, subjected to Caleb's whims. You saved me, you're a hero. You should be treated like one, not like some shackled prisoner."

"That's not how the police see it," Jake muttered into the receiver. "I'm a cold-blooded murderer to them."

"That's why I'm going to get on that stand and tell the judge exactly what happened in that hotel room." Sam was surprised when the words came out of her mouth; she hadn't even thought of that idea.

"Sam, I couldn't ask you to do that. No," Jake said. Sam could see that he didn't want her to have to stand up and tell a whole courthouse full of people that Caleb raped her. But it was her choice to make, not his.

"I wasn't asking your permission," Sam replied, her stubbornness setting in. "I'm doing it. You saved me, now it's my turn to save you."

Jake grew very serious like he did when he corrected a disobedient colt. "Sam, just leave it alone," he warned her. "I knew exactly what would happen to me when I picked up that gun. I chose to kill."

"No-" Sam shook her head, but before she could say anything else, Jake slammed the phone down. She stared at him and placed her palm on the glass separating them, begging him not to shut down on her. Jake shook his head and pulled his gaze away from hers. He wouldn't look at her at all while the guard unhooked him and led him from the room. Sam lowered her hand slowly and put down the phone, her heart wrenching. Jake blamed himself for the rape.

"Miss?"

Sam looked up at the guard, who was holding the door open. She stood up, determinedly. She would not let Jake tear himself up over something he had no control over. Sam was going to testify at the trial, whether Jake liked it or not.

**/X/**

The white oak door stood in front of them with its' brass knocker and the number eighteen. Wyatt and Brynna stood in the hallway with four officers from the Dalton and San Francisco police departments. Cody was a mere few feet away inside that apartment. Brynna almost couldn't believe it. They were actually going to get their son back.

One of the San Francisco officers knocked on the door and a minute later it opened. A young man in his early twenties with shaggy blonde hair and green eyes stood in the doorway.

"Corey Roberts?" the officer asked.

The young man nodded, "That's me." Corey said. He gestured toward Wyatt and Brynna. "Are they Cody's parents?"

Brynna stepped forward, but Wyatt stopped her with a hand on her arm. "We are," he said. "Where's our son?"

"Why don't you come in," Corey said instead, stepping aside and allowing them to come in. Everybody filed into the apartment and looked at Corey expectantly.

"Where's my son?" Brynna asked him.

"He's not here," Corey answered grimly.

"What do you mean he's not here?" Brynna questioned him. "Where is my son?!"

"I don't know," Corey confessed and then he rushed to explain. "I came home from work and Sylvie wasn't here. She didn't leave a note and hasn't returned any of my calls or texts. She probably wanted to take Cody to the park one last time and lost track of time. She'll come back, I know it." Corey plopped down in a chair, his cell phone clutched in his hand.

Wyatt approached Corey. "If anything happens to our son..." he warned the younger man. Corey looked up at him anxiously and then at the door, wishing Sylvie would come back. One of the San Francisco officers was talking into their radio, alerting the rest of the police force of this latest development.

Less than a minute later, the apartment door did swing open and, like a dream, Sylvie walked in with Cody safely in her arms. The toddler squealed excitedly and held his arms out to his parents. Sylvie, on the other hand, paled, her eyes wide as she took in the strangers in her home. Realization dawning on her features. Then she turned and bolted back out of the apartment with Cody still in her arms.

Everybody sprang into action, chasing her down the hall, but Corey sprinted ahead of all of them, wanting to get to Sylvie first. He caught up to her just as she was stepping into the elevator. He hurried up and put his hand on the door frame, stopping the door from closing. Sylvie looked up startled and then relief washed over her features when she saw that it was him.

"Corey, hurry up and get in," she told him, switching Cody to her other hip. The little boy was starting to get upset after seeing his parents and being whisked away from them.

Corey looked at Cody and shook his head. "He's not ours," he said. "He never was."

"How can you say that?" Sylvie questioned him. "We love him just as much as we did before. He's our son."

"No, he's not," Corey shook his head again.

There was a rush of movement behind him as Wyatt, Brynna, and the police officers finally caught up to them. Sylvie took a startled step back, gripping Cody harder. "Step out of the elevator and hand over the child now!" the police ordered, they were done being nice.

"Sylvie..."

Sylvie turned her wide, tear-filled eyes back to Corey. "Please don't let them take another child away from me!" she begged him. "I can't go through this again. I just want my baby back."

"I know, but this isn't Hailey," Corey said. Hearing her name, Sylvie choked on a sob; it was the first time Corey had said their baby girl's name since she died. Corey reached out to her and when she didn't move, he pulled her to him. He whispered in her ear, "I promise you, we will get our family back, but this is not the way to get it."

They stayed that way until Cody started to squirm and whine. Corey pulled back and looked at his wife. "Are you ready?" he asked her. "I'll be with you the entire time."

Sylvie nodded and stepped off the elevator. The police shuffled forward, guns drawn. Corey held up his hand to keep them at bay; Sylvie was in a precarious state, anything could set her off again. He kept his hand on her back as they walked over to Brynna and Wyatt.

Sylvie opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came out. She closed it abruptly, a tear leaking down her face. Instead, she held Cody out to Brynna silently. Mother and son reached toward each other and Brynna hugged the toddler to her.

"Thank you," Brynna told her. Sylvie nodded mournfully, her arms feeling suddenly empty. She buried her face into Corey's shoulder, sobbing.

Brynna felt for the younger girl, she really did. She had obviously lost more than any mother should. But Brynna couldn't help the overwhelming joy of having her son back in her arms. Now that their family was back together, they could all begin to heal.

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**A/N: **Three more chapters left. Please review!


	20. The Trial

**A/N: **I am sorry that it took so long to get this chapter up. I'm just ready to finish this story. Again, thanks to everyone who has stayed with story since the beginning. The song lyrics are Wherever You Will Go by The Calling. So, enjoy the chapter!

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**Chapter Twenty**

There was a line of reporters outside the courthouse when Jake was ushered from the squad car to the building. Apparently word had gotten out about Caleb, the kidnapping, and the heroic ending. Cameras were thrust in his face and questions were yelled at him, but Jake kept his head down and followed the guard in front of him. There was another guard nudging him from behind. With his hands handcuffed behind his back, Jake was embarrassed. Who knew how many people were going to be watching this.

Once inside, the guards brought Jake to a holding room. No one said a word as they took a seat. After a few minutes, the two guards started conversing together quietly, throwing glances at Jake every so often. Fifteen minutes later, the guards stood up and pulled Jake to his feet. When they shuffled into the hallway, Jake stopped in his tracks at the sight that was in front of him.

_So lately, been wondering_

_Who will be there to take my place?_

_When I'm gone, you'll need love_

_To light the shadows on your face_

Sam stood with her family, wearing a light blue sundress. She had always been pretty, but in that moment, Jake realized how beautiful she was. With her auburn hair falling over her tan shoulders or the way her lips lifted in a smile when she saw him. She stared at him with a mixture of stubbornness and determination. It was one of the things that he loved about her. Suddenly, Jake didn't want to be away from her for even a minute. Just the thought of going to prison for the rest of his life and never seeing Sam again, sickened him. Jake was glad she was here, fighting for them.

_If a great wave shall fall_

_Yeah, fall upon us all_

_And between the sand and stone_

_Could you make it on your own?_

Jake wanted to say something to her, but the guards started pushing him down the hall. Before he got too far, Jake turned his head and mouthed a _thank you_. A look of shock came over Sam's features, she probably couldn't believe he had just thanked her for something. One of the guards gave him another shove and Jake stumbled forward.

Inside the courtroom was empty, except for the district attorney, who was sitting at the prosecutor's table. The guards led Jake down the aisle to the defense table. They uncuffed him and Jake sat down in one of the chairs. The guards walked to the back of the courtroom.

"Sorry I'm late!" came Carmen Johannes' voice as she breezed through the courtroom. She slid into the chair next to Jake. "Traffic was a nightmare."

Jake nodded absentmindedly. He could hear people shuffling in and sit down somewhere behind him. He knew Sam was one of them, but he couldn't bring himself to turn and look for some reason. Then he heard someone whispering his name, trying to get his attention. He knew it was his brothers, so he ignored them the best he could. But they weren't taking the hint, so Jake gave in and turned around.

Quinn and Nate had sat down next to Sam and Quinn was whispering something to her. Sam smothered a laugh with her hand and caught Jake's gaze. Quinn grinned at him and gave him a thumbs up. Nate leaned forward.

"Don't worry, 'lil bro," Nate whispered to him. "If the verdict doesn't go our way, we have your big escape all planned out. The getaway car is parked out back."

"Nathan Ely!" Maxine reprimanded her son with a smack to the back of his head. He ducked and when Quinn burst out laughing, Maxine hit him too. Jake shook his head at his brothers' antics and turned back around, but they had lifted his spirits some.

"All rise for the Honorable Judge Brookes!"

Jake stood, beside Carmen, his heart started to beat fast. This was it. He was either going to walk out of here a free man or in handcuffs. Jake couldn't help himself; he turned around and looked at Sam. She half-smiled at him and Jake admitted to himself that he was scared. He didn't want to leave her.

_If I could, then I would_

_I'll go wherever you will go_

_Way up high or down low_

_I'll go wherever you will go_

Jake turned around just as the judge was asking him, "How do you plead?"

He licked his lips and answered, "Not guilty, your honor."

**/X/**

"I call Samantha Forster to the stand," Carmen Johannes said. Jake tried to catch Sam's eye as she walked to the witness stand, but she kept her gaze fixed forward, not looking at anyone. After she had sworn the oath, Sam sat down and Carmen approached her.

"Samantha, the deceased had kidnapped you on the day of May Eighteenth," Carmen began. "Two days before that he had kidnapped your little brother, correct?"

"Yes," Sam leaned forward and spoke into the microphone. She winced when her voice came out scratchy.

"Where was Mr. Sawyer keeping you when Mr. Ely found you?" Carmen went on to ask.

"There were tunnels underneath the house in Dalton," Sam answered more confidently. "He kept me in a small cell and only let me out to do experiments, as he called them, where I was tied to a chair."

"After a shootout and a false exchange, you ended up at an abandoned Reno hotel, correct?" When Sam nodded, Carmen continued. "What happened in that hotel room, Sam?"

Jake swallowed and closed his eyes. Sam shouldn't be up there and she shouldn't have to tell a room full of strangers what Caleb did to her. He opened his eyes when he heard Sam start talking. She wasn't looking at the lawyer, instead she was staring straight at Jake.

_And maybe, I'll find out_

_A way to make it back someday_

_To watch you, to guide you_

_Through the darkest of your days_

"I was tied to the bed, when Caleb brought Jake in," Sam started, her brown eyes locked on Jake's. He wanted to look away, but she seemed to be begging him not to, so he didn't. "He tied Jake to a chair and then he came over to me. He kept talking about revenge and how I deserved everything that was coming to me. He came closer and, at first, it was just his hands...his hands sliding over my body." Sam took a shuddering breath and glanced down for a moment. When she looked back up, Sam had tears in her eyes. Jake instantly wanted to jump up, take her into his arms, and carry her from the room. But he couldn't. "Caleb raped me." Sam choked on a sob.

Carmen handed her a tissue, giving her a minute to collect herself. Then, she asked, "What happened next, Sam?"

Sam dabbed her eyes with the tissue. "I lost track of time after that. I remember hearing Caleb's voice, what sounded like a fight, and then a gunshot. When I looked, Jake was bleeding from a bullet wound in his leg and Caleb was dead. Jake saved my life."

Carmen looked at the judge. "No further questions, your honor," she said and sat back down in her seat next to Jake.

Judge Brookes looked over at the district attorney. "Would you like to cross-examine the witness?" he asked.

"Yes, your honor," D.A. Lawson stood up a little to eagerly. He walked over to Sam. "I'll make this quick. Samantha, after the rape to the gunshot you heard, what did you see?"

"I—I don't-" Sam stammered.

"I'll rephrase the question," D.A. Lawson said, seeing her hesitation. "Did you actually see this alleged fight between Mr. Ely and the deceased, before the gunshot that claimed Mr. Sawyer's life?"

"No, but..." Sam started to answer.

"So, you didn't see this 'fight'?" D.A. Lawson questioned her. "For all you know, Mr. Ely could have attacked Caleb Sawyer with the intent to kill?"

Sam shook her head furiously, tears filling her eyes again. "No, he wouldn't. Jake was just trying to protect me, like he always does. He didn't mean to kill anyone!"

"The paramedics who arrived at the scene described you as hysterical and inconsolable. They had to gave you a sedative just to get you to the ambulance, is this correct?" he went on like Sam hadn't spoken. When she nodded, the D.A continued. "So, how can you be sure that what you saw or heard was real or not?"

_If a great wave shall fall_

_Yeah, fall upon us all_

_Well, then I hope there's someone out there_

_Who can bring me back to you_

Jake nudged Carmen, wanting her to stop this man from hurting Sam. He could see that she was struggling to stay calm, but she had tears running down her face and she kept wringing the tissue between her hands. Carmen was already on her feet before Jake had even touched her.

"Objection, your honor, he's badgering the witness," Carmen interrupted.

"Overruled," the judge said. "Continue, prosecutor."

"Thank you, your honor," D.A. Lawson replied. He turned back to Sam. "Miss Forster, did you or did you not see the altercation between the deceased and Jacob Ely?"

Sam shook her head and lowered her eyes. "No, I did not." she whispered.

"So, how do you know the act Mr. Ely committed was in self-defense?" the prosecutor asked her. Sam couldn't answer. He turned to the jury. "I would like it on the record that Miss Forster was not in the right state of mind at the time of the murder and her testimony should be taken with a grain of salt."

"No!" Sam shouted. She couldn't let it end this way. Jake was counting on her.

"No further questions, your honor," D.A. Lawson said, walking back to his seat.

"No, please, you have to listen to me!" Sam pleaded, hoping someone would listen to her. "Jake isn't some psycho killer, he was only trying to protect me-"

"You may step down, Samantha," Judge Brookes told her.

_If I could, then I would_

_I'll go wherever you will go_

_Way up high or down low_

_I'll go wherever you will go_

Sam looked up at him and then to Jake. She didn't want to make a spectacle of herself, but she also couldn't let them think Jake was a murderer. In the end, Sam stood up and came down off the witness stand., dabbing at her eyes with the tissue. As she walked past the defense table, Sam kept her gaze away from Jake She could feel his eyes on her though. Sam couldn't look at him, knowing she'd failed him. Breaking into a run, Sam fled the courtroom.

_Runaway with my heart_

_Runaway with my hope_

_Runaway with my love_

**/X/**

Sam sat outside on the steps of the courthouse. She had stopped crying about ten minutes ago, and now she just felt raw, worn out, and empty. Both her mother and Brynna had been out to check on her, but she had just wanted to be alone. Every so often, a person would walk past her, either coming out or going into the courthouse, and stare at her. Sam hid her face behind her hair, but she could still feel their stares on her as they walked by.

The courthouse door opened once again, and Sam huddled deeper into herself. She waited to hear footsteps coming down the steps, but they didn't come. They were still there, Sam could feel their eyes on her. She wanted to turn around and tell whoever it was to go away, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. Then, they spoke and Sam sucked in a breath. It was just one word, but it sent tingles up her spine.

"Sam,"

_I know now, just quite how_

_My life and love might still go on _

Sam turned around and almost didn't believe her eyes. Jake was standing at the top of the steps, watching her. His pressed white shirt was untucked and his hands were in the pockets of his trousers. She stood up slowly.

"Jake?"

_In your heart, in your mind_

_I'll stay with you for all of time_

When he gave her his lazy tom-cat smile, Sam flew to him. She wrapped her arms around him and, surprisingly, he did the same. They held each other for a moment, breathing in each other's scent. After a bit, Sam pulled back a little, but still within the circle of Jake's arms.

"Is this really happening?" Sam asked. "You're not going to jail?"

"Aside from probation and eight-hundred hours of community service, I'm a free man," Jake told her.

Sam smiled and before she knew what she was doing, she was kissing him. Jake kissed her back and pulled her to him. She had expected her body to tense up or freeze after the rape, but it was just the opposite. She responded to Jake, pressing herself to him. Sam wasn't completely better, but she was getting there. And now that Jake wasn't going away, they could both move on together.

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**A/N: **Two more chapters! Please Review!


	21. Wyatt's Choice

**A/N: **Hey guys, I'm sorry I made you wait again, but I am certain that all of you will like this chapter. :)

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**Chapter Twenty-One**

**Written by: The Equestrian Writer**

The bay gelding let out a loud whinny and started to pull Sam towards the ten-acre pasture. Sam tugged the lead line and dug in her boot heels to keep from being dragged. Ace turned to look at her with what looked like a disgruntled look. Her father had told her to start hand-walking Ace, before, in his words, that horse gets too lazy and out-of-shape.

"No, Ace, we're just walking around," Sam told her mustang as the gelding pawed the ground anxiously. "You can't go out with the other horses yet. You're still recovering."

There was another whinny, this time coming from the round pen. Sam looked and saw Majesty watching the two of them. Ace returned her whinny with one of his own and strained against the lead. When Sam kept the rope taut, the gelding let out a buck in frustration. Sam turned to the gray mare.

"You see what you do," she accused the mare. Majesty just blinked at her. Then she spoke to Ace as she turned him away from the round pen. "This is why I can't turn you out with the other horses. I don't want you to make your leg worse. Just a few more days, I promise." Ace blew out a long breath and lowered his head to snatch a bit of grass. Sam let him graze and teased her hand through the gelding's black mane. She rubbed her eyes and stifled a yawn. She had tossed and turned all night long, plagued with a nightmare that would not go away.

Sam jumped when she heard the sound of hoofbeats approaching the ranch yard. She looked up and the first thing she saw was a big, black horse. The mare jogged toward her at a nice, leisurely pace, her neck stretched low and even and her long, flowing tail swished from side to side. Sam couldn't help the smile that appeared on her face at the sight of Jake. She hadn't seen him since they left the courthouse yesterday.

Jake pulled Witch to a stop and dismounted. When he led the mare over to her, Ace picked up his head and nickered. He kept his distance, though, having been bitten by Witch on several occasions, he'd learned his lesson of getting to close to the mare. Sam was tempted to croon to the cranky mare right now, just to see her and her quiet rider's reactions. But she didn't, mostly because she wasn't sure where she and Jake stood. If they were friends or something more. They had kissed two times, but with Jake, one could never tell what he was thinking.

"Hey," Sam greeted, unsure of what else to say to him.

"Hey," Jake said back.

"I was just exercising Ace," Sam replied, gesturing to the gelding, who had gone back to grazing. Jake raised an eyebrow. Sam rolled her eyes. "A little grazing won't hurt his leg. Besides, if I don't let him eat, he'll just try to run to the other horses and that's not good for his recovery."

"Alright," Jake half-smiled and then, he grew serious. "How are you doing today?"

Sam shrugged and looked away. "Fine," she said. "It would be better without the nightmares."

"I'm sorry, Sam," Jake mumbled, twisting and untwisting Witch's reins around his hand.

Sam looked up at him sharply. "For what?"

"For not protecting you," Jake said quickly. "For letting Caleb..."

"Rape me." Sam finished for him. "Caleb raped me. Say it."

Jake opened his mouth, but then abruptly closed it and started to turn away. Sam grabbed his arm, stopping him, she wasn't letting him off the hook just yet. They had to deal with what happened or they could never really move on.

"Jake, we can't run from this," Sam told him. "We have to face it. Caleb raped me, not you. You didn't do anything."

"Exactly, Sam, I didn't do anything," Jake said. "I just sat there while that freak raped you and I am so sorry for that."

"Jake, no," Sam replied. She dropped the lead rope, trusting Ace not to wander off and moved closer to Jake. "Caleb had the upper hand, he tied you to a chair. He was dangling me right in front of you. You saved me, Jake. You were shot and bleeding and you still fought to get us out of there."

"I'll do anything for you, Sam," Jake whispered, looking at the ground.

"I know," Sam whispered back. "That's why I love you."

Jake looked up at her. They stared at each other for a few seconds and then Jake leaned forward. Their lips met in a soft kiss. By now, Sam thought she'd be used to his kisses, but each kiss was different. Like discovering a new piece of candy each time. Sam pulled away first, a question on her lips.

"So,...does this mean that we're...?" she asked hopefully, letting the question dangle in the air.

"That we're what?" Jake asked her, his thumb brushing over her cheek.

"In a relationship? Boyfriend/girlfriend?" Sam finished.

"Only if you want us to be," Jake answered.

Sam smiled and hooked her arm around Jake's neck and pressed her mouth to his as her answer. Feelings exploded inside Sam, so much she thought her heart would burst. Passion. Love. Happiness. Sam didn't want it to end. But Jake was the one to pull away first this time.

"Better get your horse before he wanders off," Jake smirked.

Sam looked behind her and saw that Ace had moved a few feet away, still chomping on grass. "Shoot," she muttered, hurrying over to pick up the lead rope. "Come here, you." She led him back over to Jake, who was shaking his head with laughter. Sam couldn't help herself, she punched Jake playfully in the arm.

"What?" Jake asked her, hardly able to contain his laughter. He also rubbed his arm where she hit him. Sam smirked.

Before Sam could say anything though, she spotted her mother heading towards them. She looked upset. Jake turned to see what she was looking at.

"Hey, you two," Louise smiled when she approached them. "Sam, can I talk to you?"

"Sure," Sam answered, looking at Jake.

"I have to get back home anyway," Jake replied, slipping Witch's reins over her head. "I told my folks I wouldn't stay long." He mounted Witch. "I'll talk to you later, Sam."

Sam nodded and waved as Jake turned Witch and jogged away from the ranch. Sam looked at her mother and started walking Ace to the barn. Louise fell into step beside her daughter. They were silent all the way to the barn, even when Sam put Ace back in his stall, Louise stayed quiet. Finally, Sam turned toward her mother.

"What did you want to talk to me about?" she asked.

Louise took a deep breath and turned to her daughter. "Your father wanted to tell you himself, but I thought it would be better coming from me," she began. "He and I are getting a divorce."

Sam didn't know what to say. To be honest, she hadn't really given much thought to her parents marriage status, given what she's been through recently. She didn't know what she expected when she rescued her mother. Her father had been happily 'married' to Brynna and she had come terms with it. Sam didn't know how she was supposed to feel to this news.

"Afterwards, Wyatt and Brynna are planning a simple ceremony at the church," Louise explained. "It will be small, just the family."

"I'm sorry, mom," Sam said, finally finding her voice.

"Oh, Sam," Louise replied. She tucked a piece of her daughter's hair behind her ear and gave her a soft smile. "I can't be mad at your father for moving on with his life. I wanted him to be happy, I will want that. Brynna makes him happy, Sam, and he loves her. Maybe even more than he loved me."

"What about you?" Sam asked. "Mom, you deserve to be happy too."

"I know," Louise said quietly. She looked down at the ground for a minute, and when she looked back up at Sam, there was a tear sliding down her cheek. "That's why I have to leave."

"Leave? Where would you go?" Sam questioned her.

"I've already called Aunt Sue, and after I filled her in on everything that's happened, she agreed to let me stay with her in San Francisco." Louise told her, she hurried on to explain. "It won't be forever, Sam. I just need to get my life back. We all do."

"I can come with you," Sam volunteered.

"No, Sam, this is your home," Louise rejected, shaking her head. "I can't ask you to leave it."

"You're not asking, I want to go with you," Sam told her mother, sadness welling up inside her. She didn't want her mother to go away again. But Louise was shaking her adamantly. "Please, mom! We just found each other again, I don't want to lose you!"

"I know, Sam, I know," Louise soothed. She walked over and wrapped her arms around her daughter. "Believe me, I want to get to know this young woman you've grown into, but I have to do this for myself first. I promise you, we'll call, write, email, text, whatever. I am not abandoning you. I'll even send a carrier pigeon, if I find on."

"Can I visit sometime?" Sam asked, pulling away from her mother and wiping the tears from her eyes.

"I would love that," Louise smiled. "I'll take you to all my favorite places I went when I was your age and we'll eat ice cream til we get sick." She added a laugh at the end.

"Sounds great," Sam smiled back. "I love you, mom."

"I love you, too, Sammy."

Once estranged mother and daughter hugged again. Their past was ripped away from them, but the future was brighter for them both. Even if her mother was leaving, it wasn't permanent. They would all find a way to become a family and Sam couldn't be happier.

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**A/N: **How was it? One more chapter, everyone! Please review!


	22. Epilogue

**A/N: **This is it. The very last chapter of this story. I want to thank everybody who have read, reviewed, and stuck with story since the very beginning. This story wouldn't have lasted this long without all your support. Thank you!

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**Epilogue**

**~Two Months Later~**

Sylvie Roberts bustled around the apartment, tidying things up and putting stuff away. She had about another ten minutes before Corey was due home and every time she looked there was another mess to be cleaned. Sylvie had to stop and take a deep breath, stress wasn't good. But she couldn't help it, she wanted this night to be perfect. Sylvie glanced up, her eyes catching something on the mantle.

Walking over to the mantle, Sylvie picked up the silver-framed photograph. The newborn baby was swaddled in a soft pink blanket, her eyes closed. She looked peaceful, Sylvie could almost think she was sleeping. Then, she would remember that her daughter never opened her eyes, _would_ never open them. Sylvie swallowed hard as she looked at the engraving at the bottom of the frame. It read; Haley.

"I will always love you," Sylvie whispered as she ran a finger over the glass front of the photograph. "My angel."

There were footsteps outside the apartment, jerking Sylvie out of her thoughts. They didn't stop, but it reminded her that Corey would be here any minute. Dinner was already in the oven, so all she had left to do was get dressed. Looking around the room and feeling satisfied that it was the way she wanted, Sylvie hurried off to take a quick shower.

A few minutes later, Sylvie was showered and dressed in an ivory, spaghetti-strap dress that flowed down around her knees. Her black hair fell over her shoulder in silky waves and the silver star pendent Corey had given her when they had first started dating, hung around her neck the way it always does. She walked into the kitchen and straightened the place settings and lit the candle tapers. The apartment door creaked open just as she was pulling the dinner out of the oven.

"Sylvie?"

"In the kitchen!" Sylvie called sliding the dinner onto the counter and closing the over door. A moment later, Corey appeared in the kitchen doorway, looking surprised at the sight before him.

"What is all this?" Corey asked coming toward her.

"I wanted to do something special for you tonight," Sylvie answered. She planted a quick kiss on his lips.

"Well, I'm certainly not dressed for the occasion." Corey said, looking down at his jeans and t-shirt.

"Oh, you look fine," Sylvie told him, smiling.

"I should at least wash up, unless you want construction dust all over that beautiful dress." he replied, giving her another peck on the lips.

"Oh, alright," Sylvie said, letting him go. "But hurry back." she added as Corey darted out of the kitchen.

o0o

After dinner, they moved into the living room, where Corey turned on the stereo. Soft music poured out of the speakers as he pulled her in for a dance. Sylvie laughed as he dipped her playfully. And then, they settled into a gentle swaying motion; Sylvie's arms were wrapped around his neck and Corey's hands rested on her waist. Sylvie laid her head on Corey's chest, listening to the soft beating of his heart.

"So, what's the occasion?" Corey asked suddenly.

Sylvie picked her head up and looked at him. "What do you mean?" she asked back.

"Well, not that I don't appreciate what you've done tonight, because I do," Corey said. "It makes me wonder why? Is there something you want to tell me?"

"You know me so well." she whispered and then she stepped away from him and picked something up from the coffee table. Wordlessly, she handed it to him.

Confusedly, Corey looked down at the stick in his hands and then back at her. "Sylvie, what is this?" he murmured hoarsely.

"I'm pregnant." Sylvie told him. She could feel tears brimming her eyes and when he looked up at her, Corey's eyes were glistening as well. After all this time, Sylvie thought she'd never be able to say those words again.

"Are you sure?" Corey asked her.

Sylvie nodded. "I took the test last night, but I wanted to make sure it wasn't defective before I told you," she explained. "So, I made a doctor's appointment for today and she confirmed it. I'm pregnant, Corey."

With a shake hand, Corey reached out and touched her flat stomach. "We're going to have a baby." Sylvie smiled and pulled him down for a kiss.

**/X/**

Sam hopped into the pickup truck and shoved her bag under her feet, a big smile on her face. She turned to face her boyfriend, Jake, and leaned toward him. He met her halfway in a soft, but short kiss. She sat back with a sigh of contentment as Jake backed the truck out of the airport parking lot.

"How was San Francisco?" Jake asked, his eyes scanning the road ahead.

Sam smiled as she thought about the last seven days she spent with her mother and Aunt Sue. Their days were spent at the pool, the movie theater, they even had a spa day. Her mother had taken her to all her her old high school hangouts, the ones that were still there that is. She and her mother grew close in that one week and she almost didn't want to leave. But she knew now that River Bend ranch is where she belongs.

"It was wonderful," Sam said, smiling down at her pale pink nail polish. "I loved just hanging out with my mom. San Francisco was great. You should definitely come with me next time."

"Yeah, okay," Jake snorted.

"No, I'm serious," Sam replied, turning in her seat to face him. "We could go swimming, see a movie, anything."

"We could do all that here, why do we have to got to some concrete prison?" Jake asked, turning onto the highway.

"Fine," Sam gave in, slumping in her seat. Then, she sat back up and gasped, "Let's go swimming!"

"What?" Jake glanced over at her quickly. "Where?"

"War Drum Flats," Sam answered. "We'll take the horses. Please?"

Jake deliberated for a moment and then said, "Okay."

"Really?" Sam's face broke into a grin.

"Yeah," Jake told her. He glanced over at her and took her hand. "I'll go anywhere with you."

o0o

By the time Jake dropped Sam off at the ranch, they had decided to meet at the lake at War Drum Flats in an hour. Sam bounced into the ranch house, the door slamming behind her. She was immediately shushed by Brynna, who was at the kitchen table, her BLM paperwork spread out before her. Gram was just pulling a delicious-smelling pie, cherry, out of the oven.

"Sorry," Sam apologized, in a whisper, not wanting to wake up Cody.

Brynna waved her off, meaning no harm done. "How was your trip?" she asked instead.

"It was awesome!" Sam answered as she sat down across from Brynna, being careful not to mess up the papers. "I had the best time."

"That's good," Brynna smiled at her, and then scribbled something down on a piece of paper.

Sam picked up her bag from where she'd dropped it on the floor, and stood up. "Jake and I are meeting at War Drum Flats in an hour," she said. "We're going swimming."

"Have fun," Brynna replied, looking up at her.

"Don't be late, Sam," Gram told her, taking her oven mitts off. "We're having a special dinner tonight for your homecoming."

"Okay," Sam said heading to her room.

Sam dropped her bag on her bed; she would unpack later tonight. She pulled her bathing suit out of the bag, a turquoise one-piece. Sam quickly changed into it and pulled on a pair of jeans over it and a red-and-blue plaid shirt. She slipped on her riding boots and she was ready. She was going swimming with Jake; she was giddy with excitement.

Grabbing her brown stetson by the front door, Sam said a quick goodbye to Brynna and Gram and hurried outside. It didn't take her long to collect Strawberry from the pasture and tack her up. A few minutes later, she was trotting the strawberry-roan mare over the bridge. Strawberry tossed her head, eager to be out. The mare didn't give Sam any problems when she asked for the lope.

They were halfway to War Drum Flats when Sam spotted a black horse loping a little ways in front of them. An idea sprouted in her head. Sam leaned down low on Strawberry's neck and whispered to the mare, "Let's catch'em." She gave the mare a kick and Strawberry burst into a fast gallop.

Strawberry caught up to Witch and Jake in no time. As they passed, Sam looked over at Jake, catching his startled expression. "Race ya!" she called to him, laughing. Strawberry breezed past them and a second later, Sam heard Witch break into a gallop, racing after them.

The two mares galloped abreast each other, their riders low on their neck, laughing in exhilaration. When they neared the lake, Jake started to slow Witch down and Sam followed suit. Strawberry, though, didn't want to stop. The mare tossed her head, trying to get the bit between her teeth. Sam gritted her teeth, trying to regain control of the mare. She didn't want to mess up in front of Jake. Strawberry was becoming irate and started bucking. Sam tried to keep her seat, but eventually fell from the saddle.

Sam landed on the ground with a thud and instinctively rolled away from Strawberry's pounding hooves. She sat up with a groan and saw Strawberry trot over to the water, now that her rider was gone. Then, her view was obscured when Jake kneeled down in front of her.

"Are you okay?" Jake asked her.

"I'm fine," Sam answered as he helped her up. She brushed dirt off her clothes.

"You just can't go on a simple ride, can you?" Jake half-joked.

Sam looked up at him, smiling. "You wouldn't like me any other way." she said.

Jake shook his head, grinning. Then, he pulled Sam in for a kiss. Sam was taken by surprise, but she immediately melted into the kiss. Jake broke the kiss abruptly and said, "Let's go swimming."


End file.
